Dog Tags & White TShirts
by LoveLikeWoah
Summary: Set in 1941, journalist Bella Swan gets into more than she bargained for when she meets Lieutenant Edward Masen. Can they survive one of the darkest times in our nations past...Pearl Harbor? Rated M.
1. Prologue

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. _

_Without further adieu, we are excited to give to you …_

"_**Dog Tags & White T-shirts"**_

_A collaborative story from _

_EdwardsLove82 & WoahNow_

_LoveLikeWoah_

_Prologue_

_Some people say… that things happen for a reason. _

_That, there's a silver lining to every dark cloud and that it's better to have loved and lost, than to never have loved at all. _

_But what they don't realize, is that they aren't phrases or expressions… they're riddles._

_And the only people who can understand any of them, are the ones who are broken. _

_The ones who have experienced tragedy, first hand. _

_I'm one of those people now. _

I looked around, there was nothing but smoke and fire.

Screams and cries, as people searched through the piles of bodies for their loved ones.

There were men crawling out of the water, carrying their friends, their brothers.

Nurses were sorting through the hundreds of people brought to the hospital, determining who would make it and who wouldn't.

I don't envy them that.

I would not want to be the one to judge, to say who doesn't get to go inside to see if someone can help them.

It's probably the hardest thing they've ever had to do.

I couldn't see their faces.

They all looked the same.

Ashy and bloody.

I couldn't tell them apart and that's probably what scared me the most.

How would I be able to find _them_?

I was frantic at the thought and I hurried over towards the front of the hospital, looking at every man who passed me.

_Nothing. _

I went back outside and searched through more soldiers, the ones who were denied treatment in the hospital.

The ones who were going to die, because there weren't enough medical supplies to go around.

I was shaking as I looked through them.

I was afraid to know if I would find them there.

I wasn't sure if I wanted to.

Would I be relieved that I found them?

Or heartbroken, that they weren't going to make it?

The tears were streaming down my face as I searched frantically for the two most important men in my life.

I couldn't breathe.

Through all the screaming, I heard a familiar voice, trying to calm some people down and trying to get some kind of order. _Rosalie._ I ran to her as fast as I could, it was then that I noticed the blood trailing down my leg.

"Rosalie!" I called out to her and she looked up and tears poured from her face as she wrapped her arms around me.

"Bella! Thank God… are you alright?" She asked as she looked at my face and grabbed onto my wrists.

"I'm fine… I can't find them! Have you seen them? Did they come through here?" I asked her in a panic-stricken voice. I was scared, but relieved that one of my best friends was alive.

"Bella, no… I'm sorry… I don't know where they are." At that moment, we heard Alice call out to us. We both turned to see her running towards us, her dress was covered in blood. Her hands were bloodied as well as her forehead.

"Alice! What happened to you?" Rosalie ran to her and brought her hands to her head, I'm assuming to stop whatever bleeding there was.

"It's not mine… the blood… it's not mine, I'm fine." Alice said to Rose as she tried to calm her down and show her that she was okay. I sighed in relief and I felt more tears stream down my cheeks. Alice came up and hugged me and looked at me with that burning question in her eyes. She was biting her lip, afraid to ask it aloud.

"I don't know… I can't find them, Alice." She cried a broken sob and fell into me. We stood there crying for the men we love, surrounded by other cries and whispering prayers. "We'll find them, I promise… but right now I think Rose needs our help, okay?" I held her hand and we walked towards the front door of the hospital.

"We need blood. Alice, take some of your own, then you can help me with the transfusions. Bella, what's your blood type?"

"Umm, O negative, I think…" I trailed off, as I watched Rose and Alice move around, gathering supplies to pull our blood. There were no viles or tubes, there were no sanitary cleaners or clean needles. There were tissues, straws and coke bottles. They were burning the ends of the needles and using them twice. There weren't enough supplies, but they were doing anything they could to help these men. These soldiers.

"Bella! Come on… I need you to stay with me…" Rosalie yelled, and was trying to pull me out of my thoughts, or daze, and I jumped at the pinch of the needle. I felt dizzy as I watched her fill two bottles of my blood. She handed me a tissue, told me to apply pressure and ran over towards the doctors and other nurses. Alice pulled her own blood, covered with a bandage and then ran over to start helping others. I sat there, useless and alone. My tear filled eyes were scanning the room… afraid to keep looking, but too afraid not to….

I closed my eyes but was afraid I would fall asleep, so I forced them open and watched, helpless, as doctors and nurses worked for hours, trying to help anyone they could get to. Rose and Alice looked exhausted, but they kept moving. I did my best to stay out of the way. I wanted to go out and look for them, but they told me to stay inside. So, that's where I sat…. and witnessed more pain and death I had ever thought imaginable.

The sun was coming up … _had it really been an entire night since it all happened? _It was much quieter now. A lot less people in the room. The bodies of the ones who didn't make it, were carried outside and lined up to be identified later. Static and the tuning of a radio, caught my attention and I looked up to see a nurse playing around with the radio. Everyone froze and stared at it as we listened to President Roosevelt address the nation.

_**Yesterday, December 7th, 1941 … a date which will live in infamy … the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.**_

_**The United States was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its government and its emperor, looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific.**_

_**Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese ambassador to the United States and his colleagues delivered to our Secretary of State, a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.**_

_**It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, the Japanese government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.**_

_**The attack yesterday, on the Hawaiian islands, has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition, American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.**_

Tears spilled from my eyes as I listened… but I was distracted at the sound of pain. I heard a strangled cry come from my right. I stood up and walked slowly towards the bed that was next to me. A young man … a boy… couldn't be more than nineteen years old. His shirt was bloodied and torn, his pants black from debris. He looked strangely familiar, but there was so much blood and dirt… I couldn't be sure. He was gasping for air, as he held a shaky hand out to me. I looked down at it and felt my stomach drop. Could I do this? _I have to_. I couldn't let this boy be alone… I reached out and took his hand, held it with my own. I smiled softly at him as I wiped the sweat and dirt from his forehead. He squeezed my hand and tried to tell me something, but he just … groaned in pain.

"It'll be okay, it's almost over. You'll be okay." I whispered to him as more tears spilled from my eyes. He was shaking and crying, but he couldn't speak. Blood started to spill from his mouth and I noticed he was choking. There was absolutely nothing I could do to help him. There was nothing anyone could do. I squeezed his hand and said a silent prayer for this boy that would never see another day.

"Just close your eyes…. Go to sleep…" I whispered again, in a soft comforting voice, trying to hide how terrified I was. He looked at me with sad eyes, brows furrowed then he closed his eyes and squeezed my hand a final time. I watched as his life slipped away from him. I cried into his hand then folded both of his hands across his chest, then started to pull the sheet up over him. I saw his silver chain poking out of the top of his torn shirt and reached to pull out his dog tags. A painful gasp left my mouth as I read the name of the soldier. I stepped back and my hands flew to my mouth as more tears spilled from my eyes. I felt a strong arm grab me from behind.

Before I could even turn around…

I heard one whisper.

One word.

From one voice.

Not two.

Just one.

…

"Bella…"

_**Thank You all so much for reading.**_

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	2. Chapter 1

"_**Dog Tags & White T-shirts"**_

_**Written by:**_

_**EdwardsLove82 & WoahNow**_

_**~ LoveLikeWoah ~**_

Chapter 1:

_Four months earlier…. _

_**August 15, 1941**_

BPOV

The sun was casting a warm glow on my skin as my eyes fluttered open. The clock reading just passed five. I turned over and faced the window, opening my eyes to see the beautiful glow that spilled in. I could smell the ocean. The late summer breeze blew in and pushed the smell of sea salt through town. It was one of my favorite scents in the whole world. I'm really going to miss San Francisco. I've gotten used to my life here, which is so much different from the one I had growing up back in the small town of Forks, Washington. I wanted to let myself get lost in all the memories I've created here, but there was so much to do, there just wasn't enough time.

I climbed out of bed, headed for the bathroom and soaked in a bubble bath, trying to ease some of the stressful tension. Today would be a long day, I just knew it… the bath water was cold, I had a mild headache and I couldn't find my journal. I was definitely feeling a sense of foreboding. Knowing that I would have a lot to take care of today was an understatement. I will be meeting with some of the boys in Jasper's unit. Everyone is getting ready for orders, so there will be chaos up and down the line. I already know I'm being sent to Pearl. I found out yesterday afternoon. I couldn't wait to tell Jasper, I only hoped he would be sent to the same place.

_**Lieutenant Jasper Whitlock**_.

My best friend, my confidant and… my U.S. Army informant.

Thanks to him, I am revered with the same professionalism as any man in the journalism field. Most women these days are nurses, school teachers or something 'respectable for a woman'. I used to be frowned upon, and not taken seriously. That is, until Jasper came along. He has helped me get through so much and now, I'm here because of him. He has been there to show me support, to get me the exclusives and help me to show the world what I can do. I trust him with my life.

_**0700 hours**_.

Time to go meet the boys.

I put on my best outfit, a navy blue pencil skirt, ivory blouse and some dark blue heels, with my hair pinned half up, so I would appear professional, yet casual enough for them to feel comfortable talking around me. I grabbed my journal which I found hiding under my pillow, some old notes and headed out the door.

I was only fifteen minutes from the base, so I decided to walk over and pick up some coffee along the way. Once I was close enough, I could see a group of men standing off to the side, near some of the weapons cages. I tried to pick them out, but I couldn't do it, the sun was shining right in my eyes. I walked over in their direction, assuming Jasper would be there.

As I got closer, I noticed the boys straighten up and try to look as dignified as possible. Then there were the usual whispers and nods, which I ignored as always. I looked passed them a few feet, and I noticed the silhouette of a man slouched down in the doorway, legs crossed, one hand in his pocket, the other bringing a cigarette to his lips.

_**Jasper**__. _

I smiled and rushed towards him in the most ladylike fashion that I could muster while trying to hold back my excitement to share my news with him.

"Jasper!" I called out to him as I reached him, an instant smile appearing on his face. He dropped his cigarette to the ground, stepping on it with his shoe as he straightened up and brought his arms around my waist for a hug. He picked me up and spun me around, before setting me back on my feet.

"Bella…" He sighed as he righted himself and we both noticed the small group of men watching us with amused smiles on their faces. I smoothed out my skirt and took on a more professional look. I cleared my throat and looked Jasper dead in the eye.

"Good morning, Lieutenant. How are you this morning?" I asked, any sign of excitement now gone from my voice as I listened to the hushed whispers and comments of me and Jasper and the possibility of us being a couple. That was highly inappropriate; they knew nothing about me or my relationships.

"Very well Miss. Swan, thank you. And yourself?" He asked, a sly smirk clear on his face as he walked us over slowly towards the rest of the men, him placing his hand on my lower back. I always felt very comfortable in his presence. Jasper would never let anything happen to me, and he knew his boundaries. We were friends, nothing more; Not now, not ever. He is the brother I never had.

"I'm great. Are you ready to do this interview?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He knew I needed this story and I was determined to get it. We joined his friends by the fence. They all presented themselves like proper gentleman, and nodded their heads when they spoke to me. I may have blushed. It's nice to be in the presence of real gentlemen, although I'm sure I'll see a different side to these boys when they're socializing after hours.

"Alright boys, this here is Isabella Swan, you will regard her with the same respect you show me, understood? You will protect her when she is in your presence, you will behave like gentleman and you will always act around her as you would your mothers. We clear here boys?" Jasper commanded and questioned these soldiers with professionalism and dominance. He used his power to ensure my safety and my reputation. Watching him speak about me that way, under his southern drawl, was exhilarating. I felt important, special. He gave them a deliberate and pointed look with a cocked eyebrow, to show them he was serious and also dared them to challenge him.

"Miss. Swan, this is Sergeant Emmett McCarty," he pointed to a big, muscular man who nodded and smiled to me as I gave a small smile in return. "… And, over here… Private Jacob Black." He patted this boy on the back as he nodded to me. Jacob smiled at me and I saw excitement in his eyes that made me feel somewhat uncomfortable. I gave a quick nod and my eyes followed Jasper as he continued his introductions. "That young man is Private Michael Newton." He drawled as he pointed across from where we were standing to a boy who couldn't have been more than twenty years old. I threw a wave as he excitedly flailed his arm in a powerful welcoming manner. The rest of the boys chuckled and Jasper cleared his throat. "Lieutenant Masen will join us later, there's somewhere he needed to be this morning." I gave a smile and a wave as we stepped away from them to head in our own direction.

"And, this... Lieutenant Masen. Will he be joining us tomorrow for briefing?" I asked as Jasper reached for another cigarette and nodded while answering as he lit the end and pulled it from his lips.

"Edward. Yeah, he'll be your second escort for this. When I'm not with you, he'll keep ya safe Darlin', I promise. He's my best friend. Like brothers. Known each other since we were kids. I already told him all about you. He's excited to meet ya." He threw me his signature wink as he pulled another drag off his cigarette.

"So, why am I just meeting him now? After all this time? You don't really talk about him much…" I trailed off when I realized that I may have been rude, talking about something I knew nothing about.

"Trust me Darlin'… You'll know why when ya meet him… he's kind of a… uhhh… charmer." He winked and I felt my cheeks heat up. So I looked down at the ground which caused him to elbow me in my side then tickle me to get me to laugh.

"Stop it!" I laughed as I feigned professionalism that was seriously lacking in this conversation. We both laughed and straightened ourselves out before we were joined by everyone else, minus the charming Lieutenant Masen.

"Alright, when do you want to get started, Lieutenant?" I gave him a small smile and a wink as I addressed him by title, again. He let out a small laugh and escorted me over towards the end of the yard where there was a small building off to the right. It was directly across from the bar, that I've come to know quite well. Jasper brings me there most nights so we can sit in the corner and enjoy his down time.

"Whenever you're ready Darlin'… but I do have to line these guys up in an hour for orders. I know where we're going, but they have to hear it from the Colonel. I gasped at his simple statement, as if it weren't a big deal at all. It only determined where we would be for the next eighteen months or so.

"Jasper… oh my God, tell me! I know where I'm going too. Oh, I'm nervous… I hope we'll be together…" I trailed off and closed my eyes, suddenly fidgeting with my hands. I felt Jasper put a finger to my lips quieting me and my eyes opened to see him right in front of my face, clearly amused.

"Now Bella, did you really think I would allow the Army to split us up?" He asked with a wink and a smirk, obviously proud of himself for being two steps ahead of me, as usual.

"Are you sure? We're both going to Pearl?" I was suddenly holding my breath, waiting for confirmation.

"My whole unit. Special orders for special favors. They owe me… long story, but I couldn't let them separate us. I'm sure the boys will be happy, the alternative was the cold and gloomy Brooklyn Naval Yard in New York." He laughed as he wrapped an arm around me, pulling me into a hug. I squealed in excitement, and gave a little laugh, looking around to make sure we were not overheard. We could get into some serious trouble for discussing something that hasn't been ordered yet.

"I can't believe you requested to ship out to Pearl Harbor, just because of me. I'm more than glad you did, I would be lost without you." I was so happy, as I tried to plan out in my head how we could spend our down time in Hawaii.

"Trust me Bella; I'll always be here to protect my best friend in the entire world." He looked down at me with a sweet smile, which he rarely showed. It was a side of Jasper that only I knew. The sweet, sensitive, warm and loving Jasper.

"Huhhh… I thought I was your best friend." Our quiet moment was interrupted by a smooth voice that I definitely had never heard before, I would remember that voice. I turned swiftly and Jasper stood up straighter as we both noticed a tall and very handsome man standing next to us, looking somewhat amused.

"If you looked this beautiful in a dress, you would be." Jasper looked pointedly down at me while he joked around with his friend, whom I could only assume was Edward. They both laughed and gave each other a slap on the back. His eyes burned into mine as he smiled at me. I couldn't look away from his face. I must have looked like such a fool, but I just could not tear my eyes away for the life of me.

"Hello, I'm Lieutenant Edward Masen… You must be Isabella Swan, I've heard a lot about you." He looked at me with something in his eyes, and I locked onto them. I was lost in them, bright green and searing into my soul. Sounds ridiculous, I know, but it was unlike anything I had ever felt before. He was… Perfect. He wore a dirty white t-shirt, his dog tags hanging on the outside, loose fitting pants with pockets on the sides and suspenders that hung down the sides his legs. I had never seen such a beautiful man, if a man could be beautiful…

"Bella." I mumbled out as I stared at him, cheeks burning and mouth hung open. They both laughed. Jasper gave me a knowing smile as he mouthed the words 'told ya so' and I looked away before Edward noticed the silent exchange.

"It's nice to meet you, Lieutenant." I managed to look somewhat normal as I greeted him properly and shook his hand.

"The pleasure is all mine, Bella. Call me Edward. It's okay really. I sound too uptight when I'm referred to as Lieutenant." He laughed and Jasper smirked, knowing this moment was becoming awkward. He knew I was embarrassed. To be fair, he did warn me… but I could have never prepared for someone like Edward, he was… different.

"I think we still have time to do some of those questions, if you're up for it?" Jasper asked Edward and they both looked towards me, but Edward frowned slightly before he spoke.

"Change of plans, orders in five minutes. The Colonel is already inside waiting for us. I take it you already know where we're going?"

"Of course, I'm solely responsible for it." Jasper laughed and Edward looked towards me, smiling and adding a chuckle as he slapped Jasper on the back. I could swear I heard him whisper a 'thank you' in his ear as he walked around him.

We walked together towards the main building, headed up the stairs, passed security clearances and towards the briefing room. I sat front left, as always, taking notes. Jasper and Edward took their seats directly in front of me, their unit behind them. I watched as they all looked sheepishly in my direction, only to look down at their feet when Jasper and Edward cleared their throats, eyeing them all with authority. Colonel Cullen stepped into the room and silence followed as we all waited for him to speak.

"Good Morning. I'm sure that by now, you all know we'll be shipping out in forty-eight hours. And my guess is... You would like to know where we're going." He looked around with a relaxed demeanor, earning laughs and shouts from the men awaiting their fate. Jasper played with a pen dangling from his lips as he smiled over at me and Edward watched me intently as they both listened to what they already knew was coming.

"Pack your sun block and your shades, boys; I'll meet ya in Pearl Harbor." There was an eruption of cheers and high fives around the room. The Colonel picked up his papers, shaking his head and smiling at his men as he dismissed us all and left the room, headed to his office, I'm sure.

Edward and Jasper stood, while the rest of their men remained seated, discussing their upcoming adventure with obvious excitement. Their voices were loud as they patted each other on the back, laughing and cheering. They were like a rabble of rowdy school boys, but I understood it completely. I was still resisting the urge to join in their celebrations, having kept the location to myself, until a few minutes ago.

When my attention shifted back to Jasper, he was smiling knowingly at me, sensing my bubbling anticipation and excitement in a way only he could.

"Are we done here?" I asked, my eyes flicking between the two men.

"Yes, we are. Did you want to take a walk? Make the most of the city before we leave? We will all be very busy tomorrow, I would imagine." Jasper suggested.

Edward nodded in agreement, his hands buried in his pockets.

"A walk would be nice. It's a beautiful day out and I don't think I've quite had my fill of the city. I'm going to miss it." I admitted, but nothing would dampen my spirits.

"Shall we?" Jasper asked, holding out his arm for me to hook mine into. I giggled at the gentlemanly display, slipping my arm around his, my other hand resting in the crook of his elbow. He guided me out of the room, with Edward by my other side.

"Where would you like to go, Miss. Swan?" Edward inquired, his tone teasing, as the sunshine beat down on us from above, already warming my skin and giving my cheeks a rosy tint.

"Anywhere... Everywhere. Let's see where our feet take us." I answered with a shrug, smiling gently at him as Jasper chuckled.

"That's a typical Bella response." He teased and I bumped him with my shoulder, tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"Is that so?" I quirked an eyebrow, fighting a losing battle with my traitorous lips as they twisted into a smile.

"Yes. You're a curious woman."

"Isn't curiosity what makes a good journalist?" I countered, enjoying the playful turn in our conversation.

"Amongst other things. We know it isn't only your inquisitiveness that drives you to do your job. You're not the nosy neighbour type of girl."

"One day, I'll surprise you." I joked and he shook his head.

"I know you far too well for that, but I would love to see you try."

Edward was quiet, seemingly content to listen to our friendly exchange for a while. From the first moment I met him, I was shown how brotherly and relaxed his relationship with Jasper is and it is truly a pleasure to watch. Being an only child, I envied their bond, but it made me happy, all the same.

We spent a long day visiting some of the main sights in San Francisco, drifting past some of my favourite haunts, while also venturing into areas I hadn't been to before. Although having plenty to talk about, our silences were comfortable and the fresh air was relaxing.

It was early evening when we entered the restaurant for dinner. The place was small and cosy, thankfully lacking candlelit tables.

Once we were shown to a table, Edward pulled out my chair for me before Jasper even had chance to lift a finger. I sat carefully, tucking the seat in as I did so. I was used to the displays of gentlemanly behaviour from Jasper, but for some reason, it had not been what I was expecting from Edward. I thanked him with a smile as they both took seats around the table.

I sat with my legs crossed and my clasped hands resting on top of the table, which was mimicked by Jasper, while Edward folded his arms flat on the surface.

"Are you excited about your unit's transfer to Pearl Harbor?" I inquired, directing the question towards Edward.

"Yes, I look forward to it. I know I will be in good company, as well. I find being away from home is much harder when you're not with friends."

"That's why he follows me around, everywhere I go." Jasper grinned.

"And here I was thinking it was the other way around." Edward responded, tapping a finger against his chin, a teasing glint in his eye.

The waitress brought over three menus, handing one to each of us. She appeared to be middle-aged, but it didn't stop her from casting a subtle, appreciative glance over both men.

She held a small note pad in one hand, her pen poised and ready in the other.

"Can I get you any drinks?"

"A glass of water, please." I requested, watching her pen scrawl across the paper.

"Could I please get a coke?"

"Make that two."

"I'll take your orders when I bring your drinks over." She smiled, walking away.

"So Bella, why did you choose the army, out of everything you could have documented?" Edward probed, his posture relaxed and his eyes trained on me.

"It's exciting, it's relevant and, most of all, it matters." I told him. "You're representing our country, ready to put your lives on the line, in the event that's what it comes to, and you need a voice. The public want to know our troops, to have a connection, and I want to give that to them. Everybody deserves the truth." I told him, hearing the passion in my own voice, ready to further defend my choice of career if I needed to.

"You're one of a kind, Bella Swan. Are you not afraid of being too close to the action? Would you document the war from feet away?"

"Bella's too brave for her own good. The day you see fear in her eyes is when you must worry." Jasper injected, his tone daring me to protest.

"That may not be the case; I am yet to face something to be feared. In war, everybody is afraid, whether they would admit to it or not." I dismissed his compliments, if that was what they were.

The waitress appeared, setting the drinks down on the table and tucking the tray under her arm, giving her the freedom to hold her pen and pad ready once more.

"Would you like to order food?"

I had been too preoccupied with our conversation to have a look at the menu, so I read off the first thing I saw. The boys ordered and the waitress retreated once more, leaving us to our heavy discussion.

"I think you're onto something there. Although the reason for the fear and the degree to which they feel it may differ. Some may fear greatly for their loved ones, while others fear only for themselves. In war, the worst thing is to have loved ones in unknown situations, while at the same time, they bring you comfort. It's a double edged sword." Edward contributed and I found myself nodding in agreement, my body leaning eagerly into the table as I absorbed myself in the conversation.

"If the war hits us, I'm afraid to say, those I love will be in the firing line. It makes me proud to know I will be right there with them, it provides some comfort."

Jasper took my hand in his, concern furrowing his brow as he locked his eyes with mine, refusing to let me look away.

"You will be perfectly safe, we all will. You know I've always got your back, Bella." Jasper reassured me and I simply shrugged, not allowing myself to worry about the circumstances we are not yet facing.

"Are you saying I have my very own army body guard?" I teased, lightening the tone and removing the tension.

"Two." Edward blurted out, his eyes meeting mine.

"We are going to have our hands full." Jasper told Edward, nudging his head towards me.

"Watch it, you." I smacked his arm, receiving a cheeky grin in return.

"How do you put up with him, Edward? He's a nightmare." I teased, smiling at Jasper.

"It's hard, but somebody has to do it." He sighed, winking.

Our food arrived and we ate mostly in silence, listening to the murmur of other customers in the restaurant and the hum of the lights above.

When the bill arrived, my attempts to contribute were fought and I unwillingly allowed Edward and Jasper to pay for me. It made me uncomfortable, since I had become used to independence, with the ability to support myself. I didn't want to disrupt our pleasant evening, but I was adamant that this scenario would not be a regular occurrence.

The night air was cool, feeling refreshing against my heated skin as we walked slowly down the street, making our way to the bar where we would meet our friends.

When we stepped inside, I immediately noticed the boys I had been introduced to earlier.

We all sat together for about an hour, shared a few drinks and a few laughs. I couldn't help but steal a few glances in Edward's direction and I was instantly excited when I found his eyes fixed on me. After I had decided that I'd had enough for one night, I moved to stand up and both Edward and Jasper stood, being polite.

"Ready to leave already, Bella?" Jasper asked as he moved to grab his jacket.

"Yes, I'm tired and I have so much packing to do tomorrow, but you stay. I'll be alright walking home." I heard myself speak the words, but I couldn't have possibly thought that he would actually allow me to walk home alone. The thought was absurd. That was Jasper.

He laughed and gave me a warning glance before he spoke "Do you really think I would ever let you walk alone?" He winked and just as I was about to protest, Edward spoke and both me and Jasper turned our heads in his direction.

"I would be more than happy to walk you home, Bella. If that's alright?" He smiled softly and his gorgeous emerald eyes burned into me with the intensity of his gaze. I felt myself start to heat up and I was suddenly flustered.

"I would like that… Thank you, Edward." He smiled brightly and held his arm out, waiting for me to take it.

"You don't mind do ya, Jasper?" He asked and I thought I saw a slight wink in his general direction. Jasper looked back and forth between us and then smiled as he chuckled to himself and nodded his head.

"Take care of my girl … I would hate to have to kill my best friend." I think he was only half joking, but I laughed and took Edwards arm. I smiled up at him and we headed out of the bar.

The walk home was mostly taken up with polite conversation and simple question to get to know one another. We laughed a little and stole a few quiet moments. Before I knew it, we were standing in front of my door.

"Well, I hope I'll get to see you again before we have to ship out. I know you'll be busy tomorrow, but maybe I can come by tomorrow evening and we could get something to eat?" He asked with a furrowed brow and a nervous smile. I bit down on my bottom lip to keep from smiling too much.

"Yeah… Okay. Come over around six thirty?" I asked and he nodded furiously with a brilliant smile.

"Until then, Miss Swan. Have a good night." He reached up to kiss my cheek, but we both turned towards each other. He froze just an inch away from my lips and looked into my eyes; our smiles were gone. His eyes burned into mine and I felt tingling in my stomach as heat filled my body, from my toes all the way up to the top of my head. He licked his lips and placed the softest kiss on my lips, holding his place for a moment. I leaned into him and he wrapped his strong arms around my waist and pulled me against him, kissing me once more. After a few moments, we pulled apart and he looked down sheepishly, with a slight smile.

"Goodnight, Miss Swan."

"Goodnight, Lieutenant."

_**Special Thanks to the lovely, MzBionic for her late night Beta services ;)**_

_**She saved us when Jordan's lappy caught a bad case of the wigginz. Excellent job Babe ;) **_

_**Kudos to anyone who noticed that Nicci's favorite "sexpenders" were written in !**_

_**Leave us some love or thoughts, questions, etc…**_

_**See you next week ;)**_

_**Be sure to look for a teaser on Saturday ;)**_

_**Love Always, **_

_**Nicci & Callie**_

_**xoxo**_

_**p.s. EdwardsLove was deleted from FB … her new acct is under Nicci Mazen ;)**_


	3. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

Dog Tags & White T-Shirts

Chapter 2

EPOV

August 16, 1941

I woke up this morning with a huge grin on my face, thinking back to the night before.

_I kissed Bella._

I hadn't planned to, it just… happened. I was afraid she would assume me to be too presumptuous, but she hadn't pushed me away. Her lips were soft and warm, inviting. I intended to be a proper gentleman and kiss her cheek, but we angled our faces in the same direction. I froze at first, contemplating my next move. I looked into her eyes and saw all that I needed to. She wanted me to kiss her, so I did. It was perfect. It might have been a little too soon for such a thing, but it felt right.

I have never met a woman like Isabella Swan. Smart, independent, beautiful and passionate. Since the moment I first saw her, talking to Jasper in the base yard, I knew she was different. Seeing her smile for the first time was like being reborn into a world without hate; which is saying something in this day and age. Nothing except war and hate everywhere you look, but it all faded into the background when I locked eyes with her. I have a very strong feeling that Miss Swan has changed my life forever.

I pulled myself out of my reverie when I heard Jasper's voice call to me from the other room. He must have been waiting for a long time, he seemed impatient.

"Edward! You would think you were a woman by how much time you spend making yourself all pretty. Come on, we're gonna be late." I heard the front door close, assuming he went outside for a smoke.

"I'll be right there." I called out, loud enough for him to hear from outside. I checked my appearance, making sure I was presentable, unable to tame the bronze locks on top of my head, then grabbed my dog tags off the side of the mirror, tossing them over my head and tucking them under my t-shirt.

"Awww, don't you look nice! All ready to go see your new girlfriend?" Jasper asked with a wiggle of his eyebrows and an amused grin on his face.

"She's not my girlfriend … yet!" I winked and threw him my best smile as I brushed passed him.

"Yet, huh? You know I can't let you pull your shit on her, Loverboy."

"It's not like that, Jasper. She's… different." I felt my brows furrow together as I tried my best not to get lost in thoughts about the beautiful girl I was on my way to see.

"Uh huh… I know you, and I swear to everything holy, I will kill you if I have to. I won't even hesitate. She's… important." He looked me dead in the eye as he said, and I believed every word.

"I know she is. I never met anyone like her. I can't stop thinking about her. I think she may be… _important_… to me too." I stared back at him, letting the truth in my words show through my emotions. He studied me for a moment before he sighed and shook his head.

"And you wonder why I haven't introduced you two until now." He chuckled and looked far away to ponder his own thoughts.

"I won't hurt her, Jas. Trust me. You're like my brother… Have you ever known me to have this reaction to another girl?" I asked him as I begged him with my eyes, to believe me.

"I do trust you. And, honestly, no, I've never seen you actually want to see the same girl more than once. But, Bella is … well, she's … _My Bella_. Ya know? She's my best friend. I love her like a sister. And I swear, if you hurt her… I _will_ kill you." I believed every word that came out of his mouth. He was in protective brother mode and I wasn't about to tease him about it. I had no doubt in my mind, he would follow through on that promise.

"I just … feel something when I'm with her. I think we have a connection." I said and he looked at me with a questioning look in his eye. We started walking down the steps towards the street. "We had a great time last night, and when I walked her home, it was just so … peaceful. We talked, we laughed… It was perfect." He was nodding as I continued, and I took a deep breath and took a chance, being honest with him. "I kissed her."

"You… What?" He stopped dead in his tracks as he glared at me. "This is what I mean, Edward. You, being you, is not what she needs. She's a good girl and she deserves respect. You don't even know her."

"No. It wasn't like that, I meant to kiss her cheek but it just… happened. I'm not trying to charm her into my bed. I actually like her and I think she may be the one." I was taking on an angry tone, my voice elevating to defend myself … to my best friend, of all people.

"The one. The _one_? How could you possibly know that? You've spent one day with her."

"I just… know. I can't explain it." Hoping that he would accept it, so we can move on. I shrugged in defeat as I let my words linger. He seemed to debate his own conscience until he finally sighed and nodded his head. We started walking again.

"Fine. I hope this thing between you two is real. I only want the best for both of you and if the best thing is being together, then you have my blessing. But I'm dead serious, Edward, I'll shoot you with your own gun, so help me God." He gave me his signature smile and pat on the shoulder, so I knew he trusted me.

Which meant a lot, to me.

"We're having dinner tonight. Six thirty. So, you'll have to check the barracks without me. I'm sure they'll be fine. I heard them all celebrating and packing last night when I got in. Just make sure they've left that place spotless or Carlisle will have our asses."

"I'll take care of it, McCarty will be there. He can assist. Quarters should be cleared out by 2100 hours, so that'll leave enough time for them to get their shit together without an issue. Actually, I think Newton is already out, moved over to D block this morning. He's gonna ship out with the Navy and meet us in Pearl Harbor, in three days. Something about port training, I don't think he ever finished his exams, so it'll give him some time to catch up."

I hadn't realized how far we had come once we reached Bella's place. I looked up and cleared my throat, checking myself over once more and smoothing out my… almost clean white t-shirt, before knocking.

"Oh come on, you're such a girl." He laughed as he pulled me along. I rolled my eyes and followed him. I was questioning my casual attire. I should've worn something else. I had made a mental note, to take extra caution when choosing my clothes for this evening.

Jasper knocked on Bella's door and after a minute, she answered it with a bright smile on her face. She took my breath away.

"Hey! You're late, I was expecting you about fifteen minutes ago. I thought you forgot about me." She said it as she hugged him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he held onto her waist, I was instantly jealous.

"Never." Jasper whispered to her before he kissed the top of her head.

"Hi, Edward." Her voice warmed me and all I could do was smile.

"Bella." I nodded as I greeted her, which cause her cheeks to burn and I noticed she tugged her bottom lip between her teeth. It brought my attention to her mouth and I couldn't help but stare. Jasper began to speak and I looked away, to prevent myself from embarrassment.

"Come inside, you want something to drink?" I noticed how she met my eyes as she asked both of us the question. I smiled and politely declined. We honestly did not have too much time before we had to be back at the base. There were too many things on the agenda and not nearly enough time.

"So… You ready for us to move those boxes?" He asked her as we stepped through her doorway. I noticed three big boxes in the living room marked bedroom. Another box sat at the bottom of the stairs and I immediately frowned and spoke up.

"Bella, I really wish you hadn't carried those boxes down the stairs yourself." I said with a furrowed brow and I'm sure enough that she sensed my worried tone.

"Oh, no… It's fine, they weren't heavy. I left the heavy ones up there for you two. There are four more up there. You can just put everything on that platform and the guys from the base will be over to bring it to the docks. They are small boxes, but they're books, so they were a little heavy for me. Sorry about that." She looked shy as she averted her eyes and moved to brush her hair out of her face.

Jasper walked silently into the house, heading towards the staircase. Bella glanced up, meeting my gaze. Neither of us spoke as my fingers lingered against the smooth skin of her cheek, a light blush tainting her creamy skin.

"You like to read?" I asked, my voice soft, barely a whisper. As much as I wanted to lose myself in her gaze, I knew I shouldn't distract myself.

"Yes, I always have, ever since I was a little girl." She answered, taking her lip between her teeth, her expression unsure and nervous.

"Do you prefer novels or poetry?"

"Novels, mostly. I have a small collection of poetry, though."

"My parents used to read to me every night before bed. I rarely find the time these days, it's something I regret." I admit to her, watching her gradually relax. I dropped my hand, my fingers missing the contact immediately. "I should go help Jasper." I mumbled unwillingly, not moving until the creaking of floorboards disrupted the otherwise silent house.

Bella offered a small smile as I reluctantly turned away, passing Jasper as I climbed the stairs quickly. I heard their voices as I walked across the landing in search of her room.

When I reached the right door, I stood uncertainly at the entrance to her bedroom. Despite the fact she had packed her things up, it felt as though I would be invading her personal space, her privacy, if I were to enter; and my parents had brought me up to be respectful.

"Nothing is going to get done if you insist on standing there all day." Jasper's teasing remark pulled me from my own thoughts. I turned to see his knowing look, before he shoved me into the room without a second thought.

"I'm not doing all the work." He insisted, dodging around me and wrapping his arms around the next box, his hands gripping the bottom edges securely as he stood, lifting the box. "Oh and if you damage these books, she won't hesitate to hurt you." He assured me with a grin. I glanced nervously at the last remaining box in her bedroom and Jasper chuckled, bumping his shoulder against mine on his way out.

I stepped forwards, easing the box from the ground with care. When I was sure I wasn't going to drop it, I turned, leaving the room and crossing the landing to the stairs.

"Are you sure you don't want something to drink?" Bella asked and I heard Jasper decline once more, providing his reasoning.

"What about you, Edward? Did you want anything?" She called to me as I padded carefully down the stairs, trying to see around the box to make sure I wouldn't trip. Not only would that be embarrassing, but, if Jasper was serious about Bella's reaction to damaging the books, I would be risking my life in more ways than one.

"No, Jasper's right, unfortunately, we shouldn't stay too long. Thank you for the offer, though." Had it been another day, I would have gladly accepted, but today we were busy. It would be a miracle if we could get everything prepared on time for our departure.

I was looking forward to our placement in Pearl Harbour and, on top of that, I was looking forward to spending more time with Bella, the girl Jasper had kept from me for so long. It was as though we had time to make up for. I understood his reasons for keeping me from her and a niggling voice in the back of my mind was ashamed. He had every reason to be wary, but he was trusting me now; and I had to show him that he had made the right decision. I wouldn't hurt Bella.

"Are there any more boxes?" I asked, placing mine onto the floor by the collection on the floor in the entryway.

"Just one. It's in the study. It has my type writer in it, amongst a few other things."

"I will fetch that one down." Jasper offered, already making his was back to the stairs, leaving me alone, with Bella. I took a few steps towards her and she watched, staying stock still.

"Thank you for walking me home last night."

"It was my pleasure. I enjoyed the walk and your company. I look forward to spending more time with you tonight Bella. It will be a nice end to my time in San Francisco." I admitted, smiling like an eager school boy.

"I think so, too. Are you sure you can spare the time? I don't want to keep you from your responsibilities. It has been short notice for all of us." I was quick to ease the doubt in her tone, not wanting the escape she was offering to me.

"Not at all, Jasper is able to finish everything up tonight and ensure loose ends are tied up." I assured her, the thought suddenly coming to my mind that she no longer wanted to go. "I won't be offended if you don't want to go tonight. Although, I would be disappointed."

"Don't be silly," She dismissed, her hand reaching forward to rest on my forearm. "Of course I want to go, we will have fun." She beamed, her expression eager and her eyes bright. I melted like a girl.

"You sound pretty sure of that." I teased, taking her hand in mine and drawing random patterns on her upturned palm. I looked up to find her watching my drawings, skin on skin. It was as though she was mesmerised.

"We should get going, Edward." Jasper's voice startled Bella, her eyes widening as they snapped up to my face, her cheeks colouring.

"I guess so." I sighed, my body deflating. So much to do and so little time. I would rather stay right where I was. _With Bella_.

I released her small hand and she dropped it to her side. We stepped away from each other as Jasper walked over, wrapping Bella up in a hug and planting a kiss on her cheek, a gesture which she returned.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bella. Keep yourself out of trouble until then, okay?" She giggled and nodded, pushing him away and rolling her eyes.

Jasper let himself out of the house, giving myself and Bella a minute to say goodbye without his prying eyes.

She leant forward, whispering in my ear.

"I am." Her soft lips met my cheek and she pulled back, her chocolate eyes staring back at me, holding my gaze.

"You are what?" I questioned, confused. My fingers brushed against the burning skin she had kissed.

"I'm sure we will have fun." She clarified with a small smile.

"So am I. I'll see you tonight. Goodbye, Bella." I bent forward to kiss her cheek, waving as I walked out of her front door and easing it closed behind me. Jasper was stood by the road, staring out at the houses opposite. When he heard me approaching, he turned, pulling his hands out of his pockets.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." I grinned as he shook his head, walking down the pavement, leaving me no choice but to follow.

"We have a lot to get done in the next few hours and I will bet you the lads haven't packed up their shit yet. You'd think they're still in primary school."

"You say it like you're not one of them. I know for a fact Lieutenant Whitlock, that your boxes are not taped up and waiting." I cocked an eyebrow at him and he responded with a lazy grin, shrugging his shoulders.

"What they don't know, won't hurt them."

"Are you threatening to go all high and mighty on their asses?"

"You bet I am." We laughed together, Jasper's expression somewhat smug and proud.

When we arrived at the base, we made a beeline for Carlisle's office, knowing that he was waiting for us to show our faces.

As soon as my knuckles rapped against his office door, he called for us to enter, seemingly unsurprised to find us together. I may have been gone for a while, but Carlisle knew us well enough. I worked well with Jasper, We had a deep trust that couldn't be manufactured in the Army. When your life is in other peoples' hands, you have to be one hundred percent positive you can rely on them, without a trace of doubt, or it could all go wrong. When you're asked to do something, you do it, and ask questions later.

"Boys," he nodded in greeting, "have a seat. I'm sure you're both well aware of mutual orders. You two are part of the same unit, the strongest unit we have. Do I need to remind you, that certain... activities ... will be closely monitored once we arrive at Pearl?" He looked at the both of us, with a raised eyebrow.

"No Sir. You don't have to worry. We will look after our... priorities." Jasper answered him with a quirky smile. It was almost comical to see him so serious with Carlisle, but business is business. We could have fun with him later.

"No bullshit, Masen. Those planes are worth forty thousand dollars and I don't want to hear reports of antics and funny business."

"No, Sir. You can rest easy knowing that I will be nothing but professional. Have I ever let you down before?" I asked with a slight smile on my lips, knowing damn well that Jasper and I had been previously been written up and chewed out for "bullshit stunts" as the Colonel had so eloquently put it.

"Now, I'm assuming your boys have cleared out?" He asked and looked in between us. Jasper was the one to answer.

"They will be cleared out by tonight. A few of them have already been down to the docks to assist with the transfer of personal effects. I will be by later this evening to check over the barracks and lock it up." Carlisle nodded his approval, never meeting his eyes as he looked over some papers on his desk.

"Here are your official orders. You both, are equally decorated officers, so it's up to you to split your unit into two, utilize your assets and come up with a solid mission plan. I want to see documentation on my desk when I arrive at Pearl. We're done here, gentlemen. Dismissed."

"See ya, Carlisle. You gonna be around later? I'll be in the lounge sorting some paperwork, have a few drinks... Emmett will be there too. This one will be too busy playing Romeo." Jasper nudged me and cocked his head as he teased me to our commanding officer.

"Shut up... at least I can get a date." We all laughed and Carlisle shook his head and told Jasper he would see him later this evening.

"You're such a pain in the ass, Whitlock, you're lucky I'm in a good mood today." I elbowed him in his side as I chuckled, shuffling our way out of the office.

"Let's head over to our office and sort through the paperwork while you're still here, one less thing to do over the weekend." Jasper said as he pulled us towards our own barracks.

For the next couple of hours, we debated over splitting up the unit into two groups, forming equally strong teams. It was somewhat difficult to organize skills, and still have equal sides. After some time, we came to an agreement, filled out the paperwork, signed each others orders and Jasper had it notarized and sent out to the Colonel before the end of day. It was late afternoon when I left, heading back to get ready for my date with Miss Swan.

I went through my closet, looking for anything that could be considered presentable. I decided on black slacks and a dark blue button down shirt. I set them on the bed and jumped in the shower. Trying to keep my excitement bottled inside was difficult. I couldn't stop thinking about Bella. I rushed to finish getting ready, and tried to tame my hair, but nothing could hold it in place, so I gave up on that.

I headed out my door and made my way towards Bella's house, only stopping once to pick up some flowers for her. When i knocked on her door, she was already dressed and waiting for me.

"Good evening, Bella. You look... beautiful." She was stunning in a charcoal grey skirt and an ivory blouse. Her hair was laid out in chocolate waves that fell down her back. She was breathtaking.

"Hello, Edward. You look... very handsome. Are those for me?" She motioned towards the flowers that I forgot i was holding.

"Yes, sorry." I chuckled nervously and she took them gingerly, bringing them to her nose to breathe in the scent of the mixed flowers.

"I'll just put them in some water. I'll just be a minute." She turned and headed inside. I waited for her, in her doorway. She was back just moments later. "Ready when you are." She smiled brightly up at me, and I held my arm out for her to take.

"I thought we could have a nice quiet dinner, and then maybe take a walk." She gave me the beautiful smile again as she nodded her approval.

We walked for a couple of blocks until we ended up at the restaurant just on the outside of the base, I ushered her inside and waited for the hostess to seat us.

We enjoyed a nice dinner, and had an interesting conversation. We laughed, we smiled and we shared important things about ourselves. We talked about our life, our hobbies... our families. The more we talked and enjoyed each others company, the more I realized that she was definitely _the one_.

There is something about Isabella Swan that makes me feel like... I'm living for the first time. She's ... everything. More than once, I had to force myself to stop staring at her. I was entranced by everything that she did. All the subtle movements that she made had my eyes burning into her. I had never before seen anyone so perfect, so angelic. I wanted to kiss her again, but I tried to ignore the impulse. There would be time for that, and a crowded restaurant wasn't the right place.

"Thank you for dinner, it was great." She blushed as I took her hand in mine.

"Of course. Would you still like to take that walk?" I asked. I held her hand in my own, rubbing gentle circles on the top of her delicate hand. She looked down in between us and a small smile crept up on her face.

"Yeah, I would like that. Where should we go?"

"I was thinking we could walk down by the beach, say our farewells to the San Francisco Bay."

"Oh, that's a great idea. Let's do that. It's the perfect way to end our time here." She smiled at me and I just stared back at her. Her lips were glistening, her cheeks were the slightest pink, and she took my breath away... again. I looked down at her and the world seemed to stop moving. I leaned closer to her as I held her hand tighter.

"Bella, I... I think we have something here. Tell me if I'm wrong, but I mean... I just... you and I-" She cut me off from my mindless ramblings, and I was so grateful to hear her speak the words.

"I know. I feel it too. From the first time I heard your voice in that courtyard, I just... knew." She gave a shy smile and turned her eyes down. I think she may have been embarrassed. I lifted her chin, so she was looking into my eyes.

"You are so beautiful." I leaned down, my face mere inches from hers. I stared into her eyes as I licked my lips; then I slowly pressed them against hers for a sweet kiss. Her lips were warm and soft as they kissed me back. I wrapped my arm around her waist, while my other hand fisted her hair, pulling her closer to me. We made quiet moans together as we kissed. When we pulled apart, we were both breathless. I smiled as I rested my forehead against hers. "Let's walk." I whispered to her as I reached to hold her hand once more.

We walked down by the beach; she took off her shoes and carried them by the straps as we walked along the shore line. We were much more comfortable with each other and she leaned into me as we walked together. I stole a few kisses in between all the conversation. It was incredible. Once we left the beach, we started to make our way back into town. We were passing the bar, where we both have spent enough time in to recognize, as The Lounge. We noticed everyone inside, calling us to come in. Emmett was waving through the window for us to come inside where we saw Alice, Rosalie, Jake, and Jasper along with some other guys I recognized.

"What do you think? Do you wanna go inside? We don't have to." I made sure she didn't feel pressured to go inside. I knew the boys tended to get a little rowdy, and tonight, they sure were celebrating.

"Yeah, for a little while… Maybe." She held onto me tighter and I smiled at the notion that she wanted to be closer to me.

"Okay, come on." We walked through the door and were instantly bombarded with welcomes and laughter. It was very nice to be able to spend time with everyone on our last night here, even though I wouldn't have exactly minded some more alone time with Bella.

We all sat a table in the corner, laughing and talking. There was talk of Pearl Harbor and what our lives would be like there. Some of the boys asked some questions about Bella being a journalist and she humoured them with light conversation. We kept catching each others eye in the midst of all the excitement, and it felt like we could tune everyone out and it was just us... Even if it was only for a moment at a time; I couldn't wait to be alone with her again. After a few drinks, I excused myself to use the men's room.

"I'll be right back." I told her as I stood up, heading towards the restroom, but not before bending down to kiss her cheek gently. She blushed slightly and smiled up at me as she nodded, taking a sip of her drink.

Once inside the bathroom, noises were muffled and I started to think back over our night. I was hoping I could kiss her again when I walked her home. I was pulled out of my daydream by the loud outburst coming from the lounge. I heard the unmistakeable sound of busting glass and then the explosion of screams, angry yells and an uproar of chaos. I ran from the bathroom and scanned the room. People were running in every direction, there were small fights broken out in all corners of the lounge. Tables were flipped over, punches were being thrown and I noticed the employees were looking for a phone, to call in the MP's, I'm sure. I knew I had only minutes before they would show up and break this up, but my mind was preoccupied as I scanned the crowd for Bella. I pushed my way through, looking frantically for her when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I spun around and came face to face with Emmett.

"We gotta get outta here, MP's will get here and throw us all in the brig... come on." He started to pull me away from the brawling, but I refused to be dragged out until I found her.

"No! Get off me, I have to find her." He let go as I pushed him away from me and then he ran for the exit.

Just as the MP's pulled up, I saw someone lying on the floor, cowering in the back corner. The first thing I noticed was her silky hair. The second thing I noticed was that she wasn't moving. I ran as fast as I could, pushing everyone out of my way.

_Please, no. _

"Bella!"

_**Thank You so much to our Beta, MzBionic !**_

_**She cleaned this up and made us look good ;) You did us proud, BB ;)**_

_**{ everyone be sure to go see MZB and wish her a Happy Birthday ! }**_

_**So …. Thoughts… Questions… Comments ? **_

_*** Review Please ***_

_**See You Next Week**_

_**Love, Nicci & Callie**_

_**xx**_

_**p.s. If you're into slash… check out "If On A Winter's Night" by Touchstone67…**_

_**and if you're not into slash … you should be! Haha …**_

_**just do it,**_

_**It's amazingly epic ;)**_


	4. Chapter 3

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_**Dog Tags & White T-Shirts**_

Chapter 3

EPOV

I ran to her, panic and fear ripping its way through me in a matter of milliseconds.

_No__!_

As I called her name, I closed the distance between us, pushing people out of the way without a second thought. There were grumbles and shoves, shouts and staggering, but I pushed on through until I was by her side.

I shielded her body from view, brushing the dishevelled brown hair from her face.

"Bella?" Her eyes searched for mine, but she didn't speak. Her lips were parted and her expression was startled. I pulled her to me, wrapping my arms securely around her small and fragile body before lifting her from the ground, cradling her against my chest. My heart pounded and I drew my eyes away from hers to scan for the safest and quickest exit.

Her fist wrapped around my shirt, her face buried in my neck as I skirted the room, avoiding the riotous, crowding people that littered the bar, many frantically seeking for an exit, while others continued to fight.

We were soon out in the cool night air, a gentle breeze tickling my heated skin. I navigated a few back alleys, taking Bella away from the danger. I set her down, under the light of a street lamp, and that's when I noticed the blood.

"Bella, you're hurt." I growled, pulling away the few stray strands that were sticking to the cut on her forehead. I don't know how I missed it in the bar.

Blood trickled down the side of her face, her pale complexion tainted with a yellow hue in the dim light from the street lamp above.

"I'm fine, cuts to the head bleed more, it's just a flesh wound." She insisted, taking a deep breath and expelling it within seconds.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." I was kicking myself for leaving her, but a part of me, a traitorous part, was wondering where Jasper had disappeared to. Why had Bella been alone in the midst of the brawl? I hated myself for wondering it. I myself was nowhere to be seen when the fists started flying and the bottles were smashing. Ultimately, she was safe, and that's the main thing.

"Hey, it's not your fault. Don't beat yourself up about it, Edward. I'm honestly okay, you couldn't have done anything." She brushed her thumb across my cheek a few times in a reassuring and gentle gesture before leaning in to press a soft peck on my skin, right where her thumb had been.

"Are you comforting me?" I asked, a hint of a smirk on my lips and a quirked eyebrow questioning her.

She shrugged, her eyes dancing with humour. I laughed, wrapping my arms around her and resting my chin on her head.

"I'm taking you home." I told her, leaving no room for an argument, but I didn't expect her to protest. It had been a long day and we had to leave tomorrow, bright and early.

I took her hand in mine as I led her through the streets, soon finding a main road and taking her further from the disaster in the bar. I was disappointed in the negative ending to what had been such a wonderful, faultless night. This wasn't how Bella should remember the town she had spent so many years in, of that I was adamant.

There was mostly silence as we walked, enjoying each other's company without needing to fill it with chatter. Occasionally we would hear a car, but other than that, the streets were deserted. I was surprised at how late it had gotten, somehow forgetting that the sun set later on these warm summer nights.

In no more than fifteen minutes, I was leading Bella up the path to her front door. She dug around in her purse for her keys, finally pulling them out and slipping the long, gold metal shape into the lock. After wiggling it about, twisting it from side to side, she got the door open.

I stood on the front step as she entered her house, removing her coat and hanging it up in the hallway. When she sensed no movement behind her and didn't hear the door shut, she turned to face me, a small smile on her red lips.

"Are you coming in, or not?" I stepped tentatively into her house, sliding off my shoes and slipping out of my jacket, hanging it beside hers. "You're quite the gentleman, aren't you Lieutenant." Her tone was light and teasing, yet still managed to bring a light blush to my cheeks. She didn't notice in the moonlight, thankfully. I didn't embarrass easily. My mother had brought me up to treat women properly and to show them the respect which they deserved and I was determined to honour her and do her proud.

"I don't wish to impose on you if my company isn't wanted. I don't want to be presumptuous." I told her sincerely, catching her gaze.

"You're always welcome in my home, I will be glad of the company." She padded through to the kitchen after stepping out of her shoes, leaving them in the hall. I trailed after her, almost ghost like.

"Would you like a drink?" She called out as she turned, a hand clutched to her chest in surprise when she realised I was in the same room.

"Sorry, I wasn't trying to sneak up on you." I offered a crooked smile with my apology, running a hand through my hair and tugging lightly on the strands.

"You need a bell or something, so I know where you are." She joked, grabbing down a couple of glasses from the shelf above.

"Sit up here." I told her, patting the counter top. She gave me a puzzled look. "I need to clean up that cut of yours." I explained, jerking my head towards the surface in silent instruction.

She sighed and I could see the internal struggle she was having. I knew how independent she was and how hard it would be for her to allow me to do this for her. It's possible that Jasper would have stood more of a chance and I fought back the jealousy. I understood their relationship completely, it was similar to my relationship with Jasper, and Jasper had known Bella years longer than I had known her.

Eventually, after several expressions passing over her face, she shrugged, letting out another gust of breath before easing herself up onto the counter top, her ankles crossed and her hands folded over the edge.

"If you insist." She mumbled somewhat defiantly and I grinned, glad that she had given in without too much persuasion, it gave me hope for the future, perhaps she trusted me already.

"Where is your medical kit?" I asked and she pointed to one of the lower cupboards across from her lightly swinging legs.

"Over there."

I retrieved it, opening it up and pulling out a cloth. I dabbed on some sterilizing liquid, before lifting the cloth, ready to clean her wound.

"This is going to sting a little bit, so sit still, okay?" She nodded warily, tugging her bottom lip between her teeth and gently gnawing on it.

I was impressed when she didn't even flinch, simply sitting there and allowing me to wipe away the grime and blood from the cut. I soaked another piece of cloth in warm water to clean the dried blood that had trickled over her forehead.

When I was done, I leaned in closer, our faces only a few inches apart as I inspected the wound, assessing whether I should tape it.

Her lips inched closer to mine, whether it was willingly or not, I don't know. Maybe it was me that was gravitating towards her, needing to taste her soft lips. Our mouths connected, moving slowly and carefully against each other, testing. She pulled back, only to bring her lips to mine again, this time with more force. I cupped the back of her neck, keeping her in place as we continued to kiss, moving in a delicious rhythm.

We untangled ourselves from each other after several minutes, gasping for breath. Bella's cheeks were flushed, her hair slightly chaotic from where my fingers had clung desperately to it.

"Will you tell me how you got hurt?" I asked, taking a step away from her to avoid the temptation.

"It's not that exciting, but let's move it to the other room. I'm going to have a glass of water, can I get you anything?" She jumped down gracefully from the counter, landing on the balls of her feet and crossing the glasses, snatching the glasses up on her way, from where she had abandoned them.

"No, I'm fine, thank you." I waited for her before we moved to the sofa in the next room. She curled her legs beneath her, taking a gulp of her drink before setting it down on the coffee table and angling her body towards mine.

"We were sitting in the booth and Jasper got up to get some drinks from the bar. I didn't really see what kicked it all off, but suddenly a group of men were shouting and Jasper... I don't know, I think he was arguing with them. One barman dragged him out of the bar, while another tried to calm down the men. Things got hectic really fast." She took another sip of water, shifting her legs beneath her before carrying on.

"I was going to follow after him, but I got dragged into the fight. Somebody turned and the broken glass bottle in his hand caught my face, which is how I got the cut. He started leering at me and I punched him. I think I broke his nose, but I'm not sure, I pushed my way to the corner as quick as I could, thinking he may come after me. My dad always told me to keep your back covered, so nobody can sneak up behind you."

I was amazed by how calm she was when recounting the ordeal, but anger was coursing through me at the thought of somebody hurting her.

"You did a good job there, by the sounds of it. I'm proud of you, you're such a strong woman and you don't cease to amaze me." I admitted, revelling in the blush spreading across her cheeks in her embarrassment at my words.

"I just don't know any different. It was how I was brought up." She told me with a shrug, the whole ordeal sounding casual from her lips.

"You've shown courage when many wouldn't have and I don't think you can blame that solely on your upbringing, you have to give yourself some credit, I won't allow for you not to."

She smothered a grin as she shook her head in amused denial, lifting a hand to untie her hair before shaking it out, the silky locks brushing over her shoulders and brushing against her cheeks.

For as long as I know Bella, I know she will continue to surprise and impress me with both her views and her actions. She was something else entirely and I had become hooked in such a short space of time.

She let out a yawn, covering it with her hand before rubbing a hand across her tired face.

"It's late, you should get some sleep."

"You're probably right, but I'm terribly stubborn."

"We're all going to have a long and tiring day tomorrow, you need the rest while you can get it, it's not always easy when travelling."

"Fine, fine." She huffed, waving a hand about.

"Do you mind if I stay here on your couch? I'd sleep easier knowing you're safe tonight. It's fine if you would rather I didn't." I scratched nervously at the back of my neck, finding it difficult to meet her eyes.

"I'd appreciate that, it's very sweet of you. The couch won't be comfortable, though. You could... I mean, if you wanted to, we could share the bed. There's plenty of room for two." She fixed her gaze on the floor as she fiddled with the hem of her skirt.

"That would be nice, thank you. I promise no funny business." I teased, trying to ease the tension in the room. I knew it had worked when she smiled over at me.

"I've got my eye on you, Lieutenant Masen." She warned, her tone light as her finger pointed. I don't know if I could ever find her threatening, but it wouldn't stop me from pretending I had.

"Yes ma'am." I mock saluted her before she lifted herself from the sofa and stretched.

"Come on then, you."

I followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom. I stood by the foot of the bed as she lifted her pillow, pulling out a small, neatly folded nightgown.

"I'm going to go and get changed in the bathroom. I will be back in a minute."

I took a moment to pull off my shoes and my shirt. I left my pants on, not wanting to seem too inappropriate. I stood in her bedroom as I waited for her to change. I didn't want to get into her bed without an invitation. I stood on the opposite side of the room, straight across from the bathroom door. I leaned against her wall, with my arms folded across my bare chest. When she opened the door, she gasped slightly and I thought something was wrong.

"What is it?" I asked her, the worry and panic evident in my eyes. Her cheeks turned pink and her eyes fell to the floor as she brushed some of her hair behind her ear.

"Nothing. I was a little surprised to see you standing there ... like that." Her eyes raked over me once more, slower this time as she took in my appearance. I gave her a crooked smile and walked to her bed, holding my hand out for her to join me. She smiled as she reached for my hand. We climbed into her bed, meeting in the middle. There were no pillows or blankets... not even sheets. Everything was packed up and what was left, would be moved after we left.

"I'm really glad you stayed with me, Edward. Thank you." Her voice was somber as she looked into my eyes. I immediately felt guilty for our date being ruined. I felt my brow furrow as I shook my head and reached a hand out to touch the side of her face.

"Bella, I am so sorry that this is how our night ended. I wanted tonight to be perfect and instead you get caught in a bar fight. Not very romantic... but I'll make it up to you, I promise." I finished in a whisper as I became lost in her eyes.

"No. I mean ... it was perfect. I had a really nice time with you tonight. I don't even care about the fight ... that had nothing to do with us or our date." I smiled when she gave me a crooked smile of her own. I leaned towards her, meeting her eyes before my lips met hers. We kissed softly for a moment until her hands went to my hair, tangling her fingers in the strands and trailing her nails down to my neck. I moaned into her mouth and was rewarded with a delicious whimper from her. My body was angled towards hers, but not hovering. I didn't want her to think I was expecting anything. I pulled back from our kiss to find her smiling at me. She hooked her fingers under the silver ball chain and tugged on my dog tags, pulling me closer to her.

"Come here, Lieutenant." She whispered as I moved to hover above her, slowly pressing my weight on top of her as I reached down so she could press her lips to mine. I ran my hands up her sides, enjoying the feel of her satin nightgown as it swayed against her skin. Her hands were all over me, from my hair, to my neck, to my back and chest. Her fingers were tracing the lines of my stomach and it made me burn with desire. I wanted to make her mine, and if we would have kept on our actions, I would have. Our lips moved perfectly with each others, our breaths shaky as we pulled apart. I felt my erection in my pants, straining against the material. I felt the muscles in my stomach contract and I knew we had to stop, in that moment. I was becoming too aroused and it would have been inappropriate behavior.

"Bella ... it's really late, we have a big day tomorrow." She nodded and smiled at me as I moved from above her, next to her as she lay facing me. I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close for one more kiss.

"Goodnight, Miss Swan." I smiled at her, which caused her to roll her eyes and laugh a little as she flipped over to get comfortable. I wrapped my arm over her hip, pulling her against me and I buried my nose in her hair, relaxing from the amazing scent.

"Goodnight, Lieutenant." And with that, we fell asleep. I held her in my arms all night, her back to my chest.

When the sun came up, it filled the room completely due to the lack of curtains or shades. I grumbled slightly as I felt the sun beating down on my back, until I remember the beautiful girl in my arms. I smiled immediately as I took in the scent of her and pulled her closer against me. I felt her hand tighten around my arm as she pushed closer to me.

"Good morning." She whispered, and I knew she was smiling, I could almost feel it.

"G'mornin, Beautiful." She spun around in my arms and put her hand on my chest, her fingers twirling around my chain. She looked up at me as I dipped my head down to kiss her lips. My hands went to her hip, pulling her against me so she could feel my arousal. She sighed in content as our lips parted. "As much as I wish we could lay here like this all day ... we have to get up. I wanna show you something, go get dressed." I tapped her thigh as I stood up from the bed, pulling my shirt on over my head.

"Where are we going? We have to meet back at the base in an hour and a half. And we should probably check on Jasper before we leave..." She trailed off as she stood up and gathered her clothes. A navy blue pencil skirt and a white blouse. She was changed and ready within two minutes. We walked out the front door and I noticed Bella had turned for one last glance as we were walking away from her house.

"It'll be here when we get back." I looked into her eyes as I spoke, trying to ease some of the sadness in her eyes. As soon as I held my hand out for her to take, the sadness was replaced with excitement.

"Where are we going?" She looked around as we headed in the opposite direction from the base.

"It's a surprise." I teased her as I threw her a wink and a crooked smile. She giggled and we walked a little bit faster, knowing how little time we had. After a few more turns and long blocks, we were there.

"The beach? What are we doing here?" She asked as she kicked off her shoes to carry them as we walked towards the wet sand near the shore line. We walked slowly, as I searched for an invisible mark. When I was sure we were in the right spot, I stopped us and grabbed onto her hands, holding them with my own as I looked into her eyes.

"This. Right here... is where we were last night. It's where we shared a memory of San Francisco on our last night here. It's where I looked at you and I knew ... that there would never be anyone else that could make me feel this way. It's where I knew ... that I was falling in love with you." I pulled her close to me, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Edward ..." She whispered as she held on to me, her eyes burning into mine.

"I don't expect anything from you, I just wanted you to know. I wanted to erase the memory of how last night ended. I want to be your last memory of San Francisco. We met here and I'll always love this place because of that. But, now we're leaving here and we get to start something new. I want us to do it together. Me and you... _together. _I love you Bella Swan." I barely finished talking and her mouth was already on mine. Her fingers locked onto my neck as I swept her into my arms and kissed her with every ounce of passion I had inside.

"Edward ... I know it's crazy, but ... I love you too." I was stunned at her admission. My eyes went wide and my heart swelled.

"You do?" She laughed a little and nodded furiously, confirming her statement.

"Thank God." I laughed into her mouth as I kissed her again, slower this time. We stood on the beach, just kissing and holding each other for the next ten minutes, enjoying our goodbye to San Francisco and welcoming our new beginning, which was waiting for us at Pearl Harbor.

We walked towards the base and spotted Jasper a few feet from everyone else, who stood lazily in the hanger.

"Jasper!" Bella called out to him as we reached him, he threw his cigarette down and ran towards her, picking her up and swinging her around.

"I was so worried. I had no idea what happened to you two last night. Did you make it out of there alright?" He asked worriedly as he looked us both over, his eyes finally landing on mine as he realized I was wearing the same clothes from last night.

"You're underdressed Lieutenant." He said to me with a bit of anger. If he was assuming things about last night, he would be wrong anyway so I didn't let it bother me.

"I just need a few minutes to change. I'll be right back, you'll wait here with Jasper?" I leaned down to whisper in Bella's ear. Breathing in her scent as my nosed skimmed through her hair.

"I'll be fine. You better hurry though."

"Always." I smiled and started to walk away but she didn't let go of my hand. I looked back to her to find her leaning forward on her toes, reaching up and waiting for me to kiss her. I cleared my throat, ignored a sideways glance from Jasper and quickly pecked her waiting lips.

I grabbed my bag that I had stored in my locker the day before and went into the bathroom, quickly changing out of my civilian clothes and into my uniform. I glanced down at my dog tags as the light caught them and saw a flash from last night. Bella was pulling me to her by holding on to them. It was sensual and extremely intimate. I took a minute and tried my best to burn that image into my brain, protecting it forever.

Once I was code, I walked back out to where everyone was waiting. Jasper had some papers in his hands, from Carlisle.

"That from Carlisle?" I asked as I approached him.

"Yup, says we're supposed to do post flight checks when we land in Pearl. We'll be meeting with some other pilots from another unit, probably have to check the hangers when we get in. Carlisle says we'll have full command. Our regular unit and then some extra men that are being split from another unit, probably markers and shooters, I can't imagine them splitting up pilots and navigators." He folded the papers up and stuck them in his folder which he handed to McCarty, who stuck it in his bag as he boarded the plane.

"Sounds like we'll find out soon enough, we're boarding. You ready?" I asked as I motioned for him to go first. I turned around, looking for Bella, to find her with her notepad in one hand, pen in the other and a look of sheer concentration on her face as she watched them all board the plane. I walked towards her with a smile on my face.

"You ready to board?" I held my hand out for her, snapping her out of her thoughts. She smiled, put her pad in her bag and took my hand. We headed towards the plane and I carried her on board, earning some catcalls and whispers from the men already on board. We laughed and took our seats in the front.

We sat together and relaxed into each other for the duration of the flight, listening to the mindless conversations and the sounds of the engines. It was very tight and not very comfortable, but it was only five hours in the air. Everyone was mostly quiet, catching up on sleep from the night before. I glanced at them and sighed to myself. Some had cuts on their foreheads, some had bandages on them and some had wrinkled uniforms. I looked towards Jasper who was doing the same thing. He caught my eye and we both smirked at each other.

"Carlisle is gonna have our asses." He said with slight amusement in his voice. I chuckled quietly, my chest shaking as I held in my laughter.

"Won't be the first time." I held my fist out lazily, waiting for Jasper.

"Won't be the last." He bumped my fist with his and we both went back to relaxing for the last few minutes we would be in the air. I heard some chatter in the back of the plane when we flew over Battleship Row. There was excitement from everyone now and Bella was smiling as she looked out the small window of the plane. Jasper and I stood up as we landed, walking the length of the plane.

"You are to report to barracks in fifteen minutes. You will have one hour to clean yourselves up and look presentable. If... Colonel Cullen sees you looking like this, he will have _our_ asses." He pointed back and forth between the two of us, I smirked and took over.

"If... we hear a single word, for the shit you all pulled last night, we _will_ make you miserable for your entire stay in Hawaii. Now... go clean the shit off your faces and try to look like you belong in the Army. You are to report to the hospital in one hour for medics, checks and records. I want pilots, CO's and markers in the hall for orders in four hours. Dismissed." I nodded as I dismissed them, returning to the front of the plane for my Bella. I took her hand and led her off the plane. The afternoon sun warmed our faces and we both smiled, breathing in the new air.

I pulled her tight to my side, walking us towards the hanger. "Welcome to Pearl Harbor, Love."

_**~*~*~ A/N ~*~*~**_

_**Special Thanks to Jordan, our wonderfully brilliant Beta !**_

_**We love you Baby ;)**_

_**Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, sorry it's a day late !**_

_**But the next one is already in progress, so we may even surprise you ;)**_

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_**See ya next week !**_

_**Love, **_

_**Nicci & Callie **_

xx


	5. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_**Dog Tags & White T-Shirts**_

_Chapter 4_

BPOV

Stepping off that plane with Edward was liberating. There was something exciting about starting something new, and starting with him was just ... perfect. I knew we would be okay because we had each other.

I knew we would have to go our separate ways for a little while; we both had so many things to do before we could relax and enjoy some downtime.

"I have to take care of some paperwork, then get everyone settled into the barracks before we all meet at the hospital. Where will you be in a few hours?" He asked me with longing in his voice and sad, yet worried eyes.

"I'll probably be setting up my new house. It's much bigger than the last one, so I'll have plenty of room for all those heavy books." I winked at him and dug in my bag for my notepad. I pulled out a pen and scrawled out my new address for him, before handing him the paper. "Come by when you're done, I'll have a late lunch for you. Bring Jasper too; I know he can never pass up a meal." We both laughed and he smiled a bright and happy smile as he tucked the folded piece of paper into his pocket.

"Alright, we'll be there…and promise you won't lift anything heavy until I get there. I know you _can_ do it, but I _want_ to do it so please... just wait for me?" He gave me that sexy crooked grin as he dipped down to kiss the top of my head. I sighed in defeat, acknowledging that was right.

"Fine, but if you're going to be moving heavy boxes all afternoon and into the evening, you have to at least let me make you dinner tonight. How does a quiet date at my house sound…just the two of us?" I whispered the last part and smiled at him. He smiled back and licked his lips as his eyes caught mine with a burning passion deep inside the swirling emeralds.

"It sounds perfect." His voice was deeper and maybe even a little bit raspy as he moved closer to me, hooking an arm around my waist to pull me closer. My hands were flat against his chest as he brought his lips to hover slightly above mine. "I'll be looking forward to it." He whispered huskily right before he pressed his lips to mine. His soft lips pushed mine apart and he caught my bottom lip in his mouth, sucking on it discretely before he released it and kissed me once more. I was breathless and dazed when he picked his head up to look into my eyes, and I swear his eyes looked a few shades darker.

"You better go. You have a lot of work to do before you can make your way back to me." I smoothed out my skirt, and messed with my hair as I looked around, hoping no one had caught our public display of affection.

"Until later, Miss Swan." He took my hand and kissed it as he smirked at me, trailing his fingers along mine as he took a step backwards.

"Good day, Lieutenant." I tried my best to wear a professional smile as I walked away from him. On the inside I was giddy and excited, thinking about that perfect man that I was now able to call my own. I turned one last time as I got farther away, to find him standing there, still watching me and smiling as I waved back to him.

After walking a few more blocks, I came up to my new house. It was bigger than I thought and I smiled as I imagined Edward and I sitting on the porch together during sunsets. I was happy with how it looked already and couldn't wait to see the inside. I walked up the few steps onto the porch and swung open the door to find a screened in sun room. This would be perfect for reading. I smiled and opened the next door to find a living room with a stone fireplace and I was surprised to see my furniture already placed inside. It had been arranged nicely and I thought that I would worry about changing it later on. The boys must have tried to make it look nice so I wouldn't have to do much moving around. I made a mental note to thank them later.

I walked through the rest of the house, stopping in the kitchen to look out the huge bay window at the patio in the yard, which was open and lined with palm trees with a private beach. The ocean was only a few hundred feet from my back door. It was perfect. I went upstairs to find my bedroom which was all open with an entire wall of windows facing the water. A few branches of palm touched my window as it covered a small corner of the glass wall. I turned to find my bed in place and walked past the few boxes that lay on the floor towards my bathroom. The place was amazing. I couldn't wait to show Edward and Jasper.

I headed downstairs to open some kitchen boxes and sort most of the dishes, pots and things like that. I checked the fridge and decided I would walk to the market to get some fresh vegetables to make for dinner and some things for the boys to have their late lunch.

By the time I got back home, it was just about time for Edward and Jasper to come by so I prepared the kitchen as best I could. I still hadn't unpacked everything so they would have to make due with what I had. I was putting out the salad and sandwiches when I heard a knock at the door. I smiled to myself and ran over to answer it.

"Edward! Jasper… come inside, you boys must be hungry." At the same time they walked up to me, each of them planting a kiss on each of my cheeks as they headed for the kitchen.

"The place looks great, Darlin'. After we eat somethin', we'll take care of some of these boxes and help you move some furniture." Jasper called out to me as he made his way to the kitchen where he was more than happy to see a nice lunch laid out and waiting. He looked over at me and threw me a wink as he handed Edward a plate.

"It really is a nice house, Bella. It'll be perfect in no time." Edward smiled at me as he sat down at the table and poured a glass of lemonade. "I hope you didn't move anything heavy." He raised a serious eyebrow and Jasper looked up at me, waiting for an answer. He wouldn't be pleased either if I had went ahead and moved anything heavy.

"Calm down boys, I left the real work for you." I laughed and they both smiled at me before returning their attention to their lunch. I strolled into the living room, looking through boxes for some blankets, pillows and cosy living room things.

When we had all finished our lunch, I took the plates away, directing the boys towards the remaining boxes which cluttered up the area around the bottom of the stairs. I set to work making some fresh lemonade, feeling particularly domesticated in my new home, something which I wasn't entirely used to. I don't think I'd had company this often in years.

Condensation settled on the glasses as I poured the cool, refreshing liquid. I pressed my hand against it, allowing the coldness to seep through my skin and spread goose bumps over my body, despite the warm weather outside.

"You boys thirsty?" I called out, setting the tray on the coffee table, taking my seat in the armchair and resting my legs on the table in front of me, finally relaxing. I heard the thundering footsteps as my men charged down the stairs eagerly, clearly already feeling the effects of their hard work.

"Is that _your_ lemonade?" Jasper demanded, licking his lips as he eyed the glasses.

"You bet it is. Nanna Swan's special recipe." I confirmed, smiling knowingly at him. He once admitted his love of the drink and I'd been making it for him ever since, indulging myself in his desperation. It was satisfying and ultimately, my reasons for making it were rather selfish, extending further than my own enjoyment.

For once I ignored Jasper as he gulped at his drink, instead focusing my gaze on Edward and judging his reaction. I wanted desperately to know his verdict, whether he would enjoy the lemonade and I was struck by an unsettling sense of relief when he moaned, swallowing down half a glass full before licking the sticky remains from his lips. I shouldn't have wanted to please him as much as I did, especially when it was only a drink.

"Is it possible to fall in love with a beverage? Because I think I just did. Honestly, Bella, that is the best lemonade that's ever passed my lips." Edward praised and I grinned at him, somewhat smugly.

"Thank you, I'm glad you like it."

"You can make me that anytime you like. It's like heaven in a glass." He nodded his head, completely serious, or at least he seemed it. Jasper smacked his arm, shaking his head at his friend.

"You could at least _try _to sound like a man. I don't care about the circumstances, that level of femininity is just not acceptable."

I raised an eyebrow at Jasper and his eyes went wide.

"I think you're forgetting something, Jasper." I teased and his eyes were pleading with me not to embarrass him, but it was just far too tempting.

"Care to fill me in?" Edward asked, his expression curious.

"Jasper?" I prompted and he narrowed his eyes at me, crossing his arms across his chest and pressing his lips together stubbornly.

"Okay then, I'll tell him." I sang out innocently and Jasper's responding sigh was resigned. I knew he would forgive me. "The first time I gave Jasper a glass of Nanna Swan's lemonade, he drank it down, pleading for more and even dropped to his knees to beg. He's been trying to get the recipe ever since." I teased him and Edward laughed, clapping his friend on the shoulder.

"Smooth, Jas. I think I was pretty tame in comparison."

"Hey, it worked. Bella made a whole pitcher full, just for me." Jasper smiled and I giggled, remembering his childlike fascination with each glass of lemonade I had poured for him that day. That was a turning point in our relationship, I'm sure. We hadn't known each other more than a couple of months at that point.

"Anyway, we better get back to work. I don't want to be hauling boxes well into the night, I have a date to get to." Edward winked at me and I bit my lip, holding in a shy smile.

"Don't blush too hard, Bella." Jasper teased, kissing the top of my head as he passed me, making his way to the jumble of boxes still remaining.

"That color suits you." Edward mumbled, brushing his thumb across my cheek before leaning down to press his lips briefly to mine. My lips turned up at the corners in a combination of happiness and satisfaction. I'd become accustomed to Edward's part in my life so quickly, as though he had always been around. He was comfortable, like a home away from home.

He trudged up the stairs and I followed moments later, deciding that while they were both up there, it would be a good time to discuss the rearrangement of my furniture. I didn't want to sound demanding in any way, but I could imagine the way my bedroom would be set out, and the same for the study. It was too late to get the images out of my head, so I had to have it moved.

I was glad I had them both willing to help. If I had been alone in Pearl Harbor, I don't know what I would have done. I guess, being as stubborn as I am, I would have tried, and most likely failed, to move it myself.

When I tracked them both down in my study, I leaned against the door frame and watched them for a moment before clearing my throat to get their attention.

"Would you guys mind shifting some of the heavy things around for me?" I asked, nudging my head towards the desk that sat like an island in the middle of the room.

"Sure. What do you want moved?" Jasper asked, swiping his hands over his trousers to clear them of dust and grime.

"I wanted the desk against that wall there, facing out of the window. I like the view." I told them, trying to catch a glimpse of the scenery outside from across the room. "And then the bookshelf is in the way there, could you push it back to this corner for me?"

"Yes Ma'am." The boys nodded, reaching for the desk first. They stared at each other over the prominent wooden structure, each with their knees bent and hands hooked around the corners.

There was a silent nod shared between them and they straightened at the same time, each emitting a heaving grunt as they were hit with the weight of my treasured, old work desk. It was quite an antique and I had fallen in love with it the first time I spotted it gathering dust in the corner of a second hand furniture store.

Their feet shuffled across the floor, barely moving, as they braced themselves against the weight.

By the time they were gently lowering the desk to the floor, careful not to make to loud a thud, both Jasper and Edward were breaking out in a sweat. Jasper swiped a hand across his forehead, blowing out a gust of air through pursed lips. The temperature was high, even I was feeling its effects and I wasn't doing manual labour.

"So you wanted the bookcase tucked away in the far corner?" Edward checked, eyeing the looming structure before bringing his gaze to mine.

"Please? If it isn't too much trouble?"

"Stop fussin', we're happy to help." Jasper dismissed my concerns with a cheeky grin as he brushed his damp hair back from his face, rolling up the sleeves of his shirt, clearly showing he meant business.

I positioned myself in my chair, watching as Edward started to sweat through his shirt and he ran a hand through his messy locks, pushing the sweat off his forehead. I felt a fluttering in my lower belly at the sight and immediately brought my hand to my stomach, to dull the pressure. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest and I pushed my legs closer together, hoping that I would be able to walk to the bathroom for a minute to myself.

"Bella? Are you alright?" Edward asked as his eyes trailed down to my hand on my stomach and I felt the color fade away from my face when I was caught. It was beyond embarrassing, but I honestly don't think he noticed anything. He probably assumed something was wrong, instead of incredibly good.

"Oh, I'm fine. It's just getting a little warm in here. Excuse me." I walked passed them, earning strange looks from both of them on my way. I walked into the bathroom and pressed a cold rag to my chest, trying to calm myself down. I looked in the mirror, taking in my dishevelled appearance. I sighed as I reached for pins to pull half of my hair up in the back, letting the rest hang down passed my shoulders. After a splash of cold water on my face and cleared my mind of inappropriate thoughts of Edward, I opened the door and headed back to see if the boys were just about finished.

"We're done, Bella. Was there anything else you needed? Otherwise I'm gonna take off. I know you two lovebirds have an evening planned." Jasper was looking back and forth between me and Edward as he wiggled his eyebrows and wore an evil smirk.

I watched Edward as he pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it lazily on one of the boxes that sat on the floor. I stood there staring at him as I took in his perfect form and his perfectly sculpted chest. His dog tags were hanging down his chest and his hair was a sexy disarray on top of his head. I wanted to jump in his arms and kiss him until he couldn't stand. Jasper cleared his throat as he wore an amused smile on his face.

"Bella?" My eyes snapped to his and I actually felt the blush creep up on my face as I did my best to form a coherent sentence.

"Yeah, no... nothing else. Thanks Jasper." I nodded to him and chanced a look in Edward's direction, only to find him staring at me with heavy lust in his eyes. I swallowed and tried to tear my eyes away from his intense stare so I could walk Jasper to the door.

"Just let me know if you need me to come by tomorrow. Have a good night, you two." He wrapped a lazy arm around my waist and kissed the top of my head before he threw a wave and an awkward glance to Edward. He walked out the door and I closed it behind him, turning to face the incredibly beautiful man that was waiting for me in the living room.

"So..." I sighed out the word as I leaned back against the closed door and kept my hands behind my back, watching Edward walk closer to me.

"So." He whispered huskily as he stalked closer and closer until he was right in front of me, staring into my eyes. "Are you alright, Love?" He smirked as he watched me staring at the muscles in his chest and stomach as he made his way even closer. He reached a hand up and leaned it on the door right next to my head as he dipped his head down to place a soft kiss on my lips. He pulled back to look at me and whispered so low I could barely hear him.

"God... you are so beautiful." He brought his lips to mine again, this time was even softer than the last. He moaned as our lips met for a warm and inviting kiss. His chest angled closer to me as he pushed his body flush with mine. His other arm came up to wrap around my waist, pulling me even closer to him as he kissed me harder. This time I was the one who moaned.

"Edward..." I whimpered into his mouth as he pulled me away from the door and towards the stairs.

"I love you... so much." He murmured in between kisses. My hands wrapped around his neck, my fingers tangled in his hair, as we moved our bodies awkwardly through the room. "I can't believe how much ... so soon, but ... I do... I love you, Bella."

"And I love you..." We kissed as we manoeuvred our way through the room and started heading up the stairs, Edwards mouth never leaving mine. We made it to the top and he led us into my bedroom, pausing in the doorway so he could bring his hands to my face.

"Bella... you don't have to do anything you don't want to. I would never expect..."

"I know." I brushed a finger down his chest until I twirled my fingers around his chain that I loved so much. I gripped in my hand and pulled him closer to me.

"I just don't want to do anything to mess this up... I can't lose you. You're everything." His voice broke as he spoke the sweetest words, trying to make sure I was okay with the inevitable, that I wanted it too.

"You couldn't mess it up." I tugged on him to bring him closer. "Kiss me." He crashed his lisp to mine as he swept me up in his arms, carrying me over to the bed. He layed me down and hovered above me, pressing his weight on top of me. I felt his strong hands as they roamed my body. His breath was hot on my neck as he kissed his way down towards the seam of my blouse, opening it as he made his way lower.

"Perfect..." He whispered before he brought his lips to my chest, hovering above the white cotton that covered me. His eyes met mine for a long moment, before he lifted the straps off my shoulders, sliding them down so he could kiss along my arms.

Within minutes, all our clothes lay in a pile on the floor. We were breathing erratically and our movements mimicked each others as our hands explored. Edward looked into my eyes as he positioned himself to enter me for the first time.

"I love you." It was hushed, his words only a small piece of the truth that I saw in his eyes. And with that, he pushed inside me, making me his. He rocked back and forth, sliding in and out of me, giving me pleasure I had never known.

"Bella..." He moaned as he looked into my eyes, leaning down to take my lips with his own. He wrapped his arms around me, holding me to him as he made love to me, again and again. The connection between us was undeniable, the passion was intense. I would never know another man, this way. We belonged to each other. An unbreakable bond... that was growing stronger by the day.

I was spiralling out of control as he moved in me, my voice raspy and my breaths uneven. I clawed at his back, which made him moan louder. He was so deep inside me, filling me with every inch of him. I felt a white hot burning, low in my stomach. I knew he was close too, by the grunts that escaped his mouth as he thrusted his hips.

"Edward..." I called out his name as I exploded from his pleasure. His eyes clenched shut and he stilled above me, slowly pushing deeper as he let his own pleasure take over. He chanted my name as he placed kisses all over my mouth. He wrapped his arms tight around me, refusing to let go, or even move.

"Everything. You're my everything. There's no other way to explain..." He looked troubled as he tried to find the words that I already knew, from what his eyes told me.

"I know. And you're mine." He smiled as I reached up to kiss his lips for a quick kiss.

"How did I get so lucky?" He asked with a light shimmer in his eyes as he trailed a finger across my collar bone and up my throat, landing on my lips. His finger pushed my bottom lip down, a small gasp leaving my mouth, his eyes dropped to my lip. He dipped his head down and took it in between his teeth, sucking lightly before he released it and smiled up at me again.

"I don't know Lieutenant, but I think it had something to do with your undeniable charm." I giggled as he tickled my sides, moved away enough for him to slip out of me and roll onto his back.

"I don't know about you, but I worked up quite an appetite. How about we have that quiet dinner?" He moved next to me, the muscles in his neck and chest strained as he positioned hi body to pull me up with him.

"Sounds perfect right about now." I took his shirt and pulled it over my head, walking passed him as he pulled his pants on. He raised an eyebrow when he saw that I hadn't planned on wearing anything else. His arms were around me before I made it to the doorway.

"Maybe we can relax downstairs after we eat, read a book together?" He asked as he buried his nose in my hair, inhaling a deep relaxing breath. His hand pressing down on my belly as he pulled me against him.

"I think that's a great idea. Then we can come back up here." I turned to face him, his brows were pulled together in thought.

"Bella... I don't have to stay. I don't expect..."

"Like I told you before, I know you don't. But, I want you to stay. With me. Will you stay with me, Edward?" I reached up to twirl my fingers in his hair at the bottom of his neck as I stood on my toes to kiss his lips.

"If you insist." He smiled into our kiss and picked me up in his strong arms, swinging me around before heading out the door and down the stairs.

Edward and I were starting to feel very comfortable with each other. Like, we had always belonged here, together. I knew we would be inseparable from here on out.

_****A/N****_

_**I'm sorry this update is a day late... **_

_**Huge thanks to our Amazen Beta, Jordan ;)**_

_**We love you like crazyyyy !**_

_**Hope you all enjoyed this update, see ya next week !**_

_**Reviews make us write faster, js ;)**_

_**We Love you all **_

_**Always,**_

_**Nicci & Callie**_

_**xx**_


	6. Chapter 5

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_**Dog Tags & White T-Shirts**_

**Chapter 5**

It's been three weeks since we arrived at Pearl. So far, our time here has been almost like a vacation. Bella and I have spent most of your days on the beach, our nights in each other's arms, and any moment we weren't together, we were thinking of the other. She has been in every thought, every plan, every moment. I seriously can't remember what I did with my time before I met her; she's taken over my entire world. To say that I have fallen in love with her would be a huge understatement. It's just so much more than that. She's everything.

In the midst of all our happiness, I've noticed that Jasper seems to have taken a step back. He doesn't come around as much, he's a little distant with Bella and sometimes, he's pretty cold with me. I feel like I'm losing my brother and I just wish I knew why. I didn't have to ponder for long, Jasper showed up in the hanger not long after I got there. I would make it a point to bring it up.

I had a pile of paperwork to go through, engine checks, flight inspections and security statements. As soon as I finished with the massive amount of work, I dropped my book and headed over to the South hanger, where Jasper had gotten used to working on his plane. He spotted me, threw me a nod and picked up his tools, wiping a dirty hand across his forehead as he continued to push his body under the plane, finishing whatever he was doing before. I walked over casually, glancing unnecessarily, through his tools and I picked up a wrench and started fumbling with it.

"Hey man. How is she today?" Jasper always referred to his plane as a female, but never gave her a name. I had a sidetracked thought that maybe I would name mine after Bella.

"She's a sassy broad, always givin' me a hard time bout somethin'." He switched hands, meeting my eyes for a moment as he joked about his plane, then went back to work. "How 'bout yours? Ready for checks?" he asked, not really interested in any conversation.

"Yeah, I'm good. Listen, is there something bothering you? Did I do something?" I figured I might as well get right down to it, not wanting to prolong the inevitable any longer. He paused only briefly, to meet my eyes, before continuing to work under his plane.

"Why would you say that?" he asked, trying his best to brush it off as nothing.

"Don't give me a bullshit line, Jasper. I know you better than I know myself, I know something is eating at you, I just don't know why you won't tell me what it is" I sighed in annoyance, slightly irritated that he wouldn't tell me, we were supposed to be best friends… _brothers_. He put down his wrench and picked up a towel, wiping off his hands as he slid out from under his plane.

"Alright. Maybe there is something, but I certainly don't wanna discuss it, with _you._" He threw his towel down over his tools as he walked passed me, towards the end of the plane.

"And what does that mean? What the hell did _I_ do?" I asked as I folded my arms over chest, clearly annoyed at the vague explanation he tried to throw out.

"It means… Edward… that you should mind your own business. Why don't you go and see your _girlfriend_? Go annoy her for a while." He tried to brush me off but I caught his arm.

"Is _that_ what this is about? _Bella_? You got a problem with us being together?" He sensed the irritation in my tone, but he didn't even blink, he never would.

"Ya know what? Yeah… I do have a problem with it. It's just so _you_, Edward. Come in and steal a beautiful woman, it's what you do."

"What the hell are you talking about?" My anger level was rising fast as he rambled on, throwing out excuse after excuse, not saying whatever it was that he wanted to say.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about. She was my best friend. And ya just … took her."

"Jasper, I didn't steal your friend. Bella still loves you; she still wants to spend time with you. What is this really about?" The confusion on my face must have sparked something inside him because now he was just as angry as I was.

"It's about her. It's always been about her." We stared into each other's eyes, waiting for something to happen. I knew he wasn't finished, he was biding his time. I felt my brows turn in and my jaw tighten as I waited for him to admit the truth that I was just now realizing.

"I'm in love with Bella." He said it with downcast eyes and a sigh in his voice. He couldn't look me in the eye as he told me. There was no confidence in his claim. I wasn't so sure I believed him, which made the situation all the more awkward. I wasn't sure if he was afraid to tell the truth, which isn't Jasper, or if he was lying to start a fight. Either way, a fight was what he got.

"And you don't think that you should've said something earlier?" I was furious now as I questioned him, angling my body towards him as I spoke through gritted teeth.

"Oh right… like it would have made any difference. _Edward Masen_ always gets what he wants." He closed the distance between us and our heaving chests were almost touching as he glared at me, spitting his words. "She was mine, and you took her."

"She was never _yours_," I growled, inching closer to his face. We were head to head, I was just waiting for him to make a move.

"What's the matter? Afraid of a little competition?"

"Trust me, there isn't any. Bella knows what she wants and we both know that that's me." I barely finished my sentence before he came at me, his hands gripping both my shoulders. He tried to push me backwards, but we ended up pushing each other with equal force, it was more like an awkward hug.

"You never said anything… so you missed your chance." I managed to yell out as we danced around each other, getting ready for something that we both knew was coming.

"I still have a chance… I'll tell her tonight," he barked out as he threw his first punch. His fist connected with my face and my natural reaction was to go for his throat. I lunged for him and we were rolling around on the floor of the hanger, attracting too much attention. Emmett came over and tried to break it up but Jasper pushed him back and came at me again. Then, in the middle of all the pushing and yelling, we stopped dead in our tracks when we heard the only voice that could ever pull our attention that way.

"What is going on here?" she asked in a panicked voice. "Edward? Jasper… what happened?" tears pricked her eyes when she took in our appearances. We were both bloody and ragged, a proper mess of our uniforms, which I'm sure we would hear about later.

"That's an interesting question. What _did_ happen, Jasper?" I asked him, raising brow as I challenged him to open his mouth and have the nerve to tell her the truth. But instead of answering me, he came at me again.

"Jasper, no!" she called out as she clung to him, trying to pull him away and get in between us.

"Bella, get back …" I tried to maneuver around Jasper so I could push her out of the way. When I reached Bella, I tried to pull her behind me so she wouldn't get caught in the middle.

"Jasper, no!" I screamed, as I tried to pull Bella out of the way. I dropped her down and pulled her to the side, his fist having just missed her face connected with mine, sending me backwards, straight into the coils of the engine of the plane. It was still burning hot from being run and checked over all morning.

"Edward!" Bella called out as she watched me falling backwards right into it, with no way to prevent it.

"Fuck! … my arm…God…" I groaned in pain as I felt the heat of the engine practically melt the flesh off my arm. It was scorching, and my forearm was in dire pain.

"Shit… I didn't mean to …" Jasper reached down to pull me up by my good arm as I tried to scramble away from the heat of the engine.

"Don't touch me!" I exclaimed, as I brushed him off me.

"Oh my God, Edward… we have to get you to the hospital. Now!" she commanded, as she glared at Jasper. "And you," she pointed at him, with look that could kill. "I want an explanation. What's the matter with you?"

"Bella… I'm sorry, I dunno what happened, it was just… it's hard to explain, but I didn't mean for this to happen." he whispered as he ran a hand through his hair, offering to help her lift me up.

"Just get the car," she replied, in a tense tone, clearly aggravated with him. He gave me an apologetic look and headed to grab Newton and told him to get a car to drive us all down to the hospital. He commanded McCarty to remain in charge until we came back and asked him not to mention anything to Carlisle until we had the chance to do it ourselves.

It was a quiet ride over, Jasper up front with Newton, and Bella and I in the back. Once we were there, Jasper opened my door and offered to help me out.

"Edward, I'm really sorry. I never meant for you to get hurt like that."

"Didn't you, Jasper? How did you think this would end?" I spat, holding my arm securely against my chest as Bella moved to my side, taking my hand in hers.

"Stop it, you two. I don't know what's gotten into you both, but cut it out." She chided, glaring at Jasper from my side. "There better be a good explanation for this." She growled, her expression clearly showing her doubt.

There was silence, neither of us wanting to tell Bella and both of us stewing in our own thoughts. I tried to distract myself from the searing pain in my arm, the burn radiating heat.

We walked into the hospital, drawing stairs for our bedraggled and bloodied uniforms. Jasper bowed his head, whether in embarrassment or shame, I didn't know. Maybe it was something else entirely.

Bella led us to the reception desk where a young blonde perched, scrawling away on what appeared to be medical records.

"Hey," Bella called out to announce our presence and the girl looked up, tucking her hair behind her ears as her eyes darted between us.

"Hello, what can I help you with?"

"I need to see someone about my arm." I held it up in way of explanation and to her credit, she didn't even flinch.

"Burn?" She asked, jotting notes on a scrap of paper.

"Yes."

"Name?" Her tone was polite, despite being straight to the point and no doubt encountering rowdy and inappropriate behaviour from cocky recruits frequently.

"Edward Masen."

"Thank you, Mr. Masen, if you could take a seat and listen for your name. Someone will be with you soon."

"Thank you."

Bella didn't let go of my hand, not even when we were settled in the rickety wooden chairs. Jasper wisely left a seat between us and didn't take the one to the right of Bella. He had some sense after all. My teeth were gritted and my jaw was tensed as I tried to swallow the resentment and anger I felt towards my friend. He waited months to decide he had a claim on my girlfriend and that I had wronged him. It wasn't like Jasper to pick a fight over nothing, but it didn't seem as though his whole heart was behind his claim. I let out a frustrated sigh and Bella pushed my hair back from my face, no doubt trying to soothe me.

Within ten minutes a nurse emerged from the hallway, glancing at a chart she had plucked from the reception desk. She was petite, with short, black hair smoothed around her face. At first I didn't think she seemed old enough for her profession, but her doll-like appearance was deceptive.

"Edward Masen?" She looked up, scanning the faces. I pushed myself out of my chair, pulling Bella up with me and leading her to the nurse who smiled at us. Jasper trailed behind, a few steps back.

"Good afternoon, I'm Alice. Right this way, Edward." She gestured for us to follow her as she walked quickly down the corridor until she reached an open curtain, revealing a hospital bed and two chairs.

"Take a seat there on the bed." She directed and I eased myself onto it, using my good arm for leverage.

Alice came closer, taking my arm in her small hands and turning it over.

"How did you do this?" She asked and my eyes darted to Jasper who was watching intently from the corner. He didn't meet my eyes as Alice waited for an answer, choosing to stare at the burn instead.

"I got a little too up close and personal with a plane engine." I admitted, trying to sound casual about the ordeal, but the frown on her face told me I wasn't successful.

"It looks like a second degree burn; I'd say deep partial thickness from the color of those blisters."

"Will it heal?" All eyes turned to Jasper. His voice was quiet, almost nervous.

There was a pause where nobody spoke, the silence engulfing us. The nurse seemed to gather herself, answering him with a more cheerful tone.

"It's going to heal, yes. I can't be sure, but there may be scarring. This is serious damage you've done here."

"I'll be more careful, next time." My words were tense and my eyes locked with Jasper's. He looked away first, while both Alice and Bella looked between the two of us, trying to decipher our behaviour.

"Right, well, I've just got to go get a trolley and then I'll patch you up, Edward." Alice chirped, trying to diffuse and escape the tension pulsing through the small cubicle. "I will be right back." She pulled the curtain closed behind her, giving us some privacy.

"What is going on with you two?" Bella hissed, her expression hard. "I want to know exactly what all this is about right now."

I glared at Jasper, who fixed his gaze on the floor.

"Well?" She demanded, hands on hips and lips pursed.

When Jasper didn't make a move to answer her, I ground out the words he had told me earlier.

"Jasper's in love with you."

"No, he isn't." Bella denied, her tone a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

"I was-" Jasper began when the nurse appeared, pushing a trolley of medical implements.

"Can we talk about this later?" He pleaded, his voice low. Bella nodded, barely.

"Let's get this arm of yours cleaned up then. It's not as bad as it looks, I promise. Try not to get so up close and personal with the engine in future, you'll come out of it worse." Her tone was light and friendly as she chattered on, either oblivious to the tension remaining in the room or trying to talk over it.

"I haven't seen any of you around here before, have you just been shipped in?" Alice tried to strike up conversation, smiling despite our unresponsiveness.

"Yeah, we were brought in from San Francisco." Jasper surrendered, helping out the nurse's attempts.

"I hear it's a beautiful city, but I never made it there. Maybe one day. I take it you three are friends, then?"

Bella fidgeted uncomfortably and Jasper cleared his throat before speaking, most likely trying to work out what to say. The answer would have been easy yesterday, but today we were all on unsteady ground. He'd made our friendship complicated with only a few words.

"I've been friends with these two for years." He answered cautiously, dodging the question. I could tell Alice had noticed, but she didn't say anything.

Alice draped a cool, damp cloth over my arm after gently using ointment on the damaged skin.

"This has to be left for a while to take the heat from the burn, you'll just have to sit tight and wait for now. Are you in pain?"

I nodded and she passed me a cup of cloudy liquid.

"Drink this. It doesn't taste very nice, but it will help. I will be back in ten minutes or so."

"Thank you."

As she was stepping around the curtain, Alice turned back to us.

"There's a washroom down the hall if you want to clean up." Her eyes were on Jasper, flicking briefly to me, before taking in his rough appearance once more. "I can show you, if you want?"

"That would be great, thank you."

Bella and I watched as Jasper followed Alice through the hallway and turn the corner, then she turned to me and brought her lips to mine sweetly.

"Are you okay? Does it hurt?" she asked, worry evident in her eyes. I looked down at her and brushed my nose against hers before answering.

"Don't worry Baby, I'll be fine. Are you okay?" I questioned, nervously awaiting her answer. I knew she must have been freaked out by the new information regarding her best friend.

"I don't know," she shrugged, playing with the hem of her skirt. "I think I will be, once I know what's really going on."

"You know how much I love you, right?" I asked, a little unsure of myself for a moment.

"Of course," she whispered. She looked at me and wrapped her fingers in the hair at the base of my neck, before tilting up so she could kiss my lips. "And I love _you_. Only you." I closed my eyes as we leaned our heads together, waiting for Jasper to come back with Alice.

"Okay, Edward... the Doctor will need to take a look just to make sure, but I think you'll be just fine with some zinc and I'll have to bandage it up pretty good. But I would stay away from plane engines for a few weeks," she teased as she walked passed me to grab a tray of supplies, for the doctor I'm sure.

"Yeah, great," I replied dryly, as I glared at Jasper. I could just imagine how that was going to go over, with Carlisle.

After the Doctor came and did his thing, Alice said we could go, but she gave Bella a whole bag of creams and bandages, so she could help me change them every few hours. The three of us went back to Bella's house, trying our best to avoid Carlisle for as long as possible.

"Alright, I think I've been patient long enough. I wanna know what happened today," she demanded, as we all took our seats in her living room. I thought I would feel more insecure or nervous, but I was calm. I knew there would never be a choice between us. I know where I stand with Bella, she loves me. I can see it in her eyes, in her smile, the way she touches me, the way she misses me when I'm gone. I know that if it came down to it, I wouldn't lose my Bella.

I sat back and watched as Jasper stood, walking slowly towards Bella, reaching to take her hand in his.

"Bella... I..."

_**So...**_

_**Was that evil? **_

_**Maybe a little ;)**_

_**No worries, we'll have the next one for ya next week !**_

_**Much Thanks to Jordan ... **_

_**for his late night ... services... ;)**_

_**Same time next week Peepz **_

_**Much Love,**_

_**Nicci & Callie **_


	7. Chapter 6

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_**Dog Tags & White T-Shirts**_

**Chapter 6**

**BPOV**

"I... told Edward that I'm in love with you," he said, standing awkwardly, avoiding any and all eye contact.

I stood there, stunned as I listened to the explanation that Jasper handed me. I heard him speak the words, but I couldn't bring myself to believe them. My _best friend_ ... confessing his love... for _me? _It was crazy, nothing made sense and I was becoming more impatient by the minute. I looked at Edward who was watching me cautiously, waiting for my reaction.

"I... you _what_?" I asked, completely bewildered by the conversation that was taking place in my living room. So many emotions coursed through me at once, it became overwhelming and I needed to sit down. I walked over and fell into the furthest seat from both of them, needing my space in that moment. I wanted to be angry, but I felt betrayed, slightly frustrated, and completely confused.

"Bella..." his voice was soft, getting closer as he made his way over to kneel in front of me. He took my hands and held them in his again, as he looked into my worried eyes. I glanced over at an uncomfortable looking Edward, trying to apologize with my eyes as I gave him a slight head tilt. "I _thought_, that I was in love with you, because I became extremely jealous of what the two of you have."

"Jasper... I don't understand. You say you _thought_ you were in love with me, but now you're not sure? Don't you think you should be _sure_ before making a claim like that?" I asked, in a clearly irritated voice.

"Bella, I'm so sorry. I realize now that I was just jealous. You and I had always been so close, and now..." he trailed off, looking uncomfortably back and forth between me and Edward. "Now, you and Edward are a couple and I'm left behind. I just... I feel like I lost my two best friends." He sighed, running a hand through his hair as he stood and spun around to drop lazily onto the sofa.

"Jasper, you didn't lose us. We're still your best friends, we just need a little time to be... _alone_ sometimes, that's all," Edward explained, in a hushed voice, trying to make his point by taking on a softer tone.

"Yeah, well I guess if I wouldn't have burned your skin off, you might have forgiven me," he rushed out in a tight laugh as his brows furrowed and he looked away from his other best friend. In that instant, the anger slipped away and I felt pitiful as I watched the awkward exchange of sideways glances between two boys, who had come to love each other as brothers.

"Nah, we're good. Just forget it ever happened. But I seriously have no idea what we're gonna tell Carlisle," he laughed as he eyed up Jasper, shrugging his shoulders and taking on a more relaxed look.

"Brothers?" Edward asked as he held out a fist towards Jasper. He looked up at him, shock in his eyes but an excited smile forming on his face.

"For life." He answered, confident and trusting. These boys had their share of silly arguments and petty fights, but this was the worst. I could not believe how they acted towards each other, especially over something so trivial. I smiled as they bumped fists and nodded at each other, and then looked back towards me, waiting for my reaction to their nonsense.

"I can't believe you two, letting something come between you like that," I said, rolling my eyes at them as I stood to go into the kitchen.

"Well, in all honesty, if I were Edward... I would have killed him," Jasper laughed as he elbowed Edward on his bad arm, completely forgetting about his pain.

"Owww... dammit Jasper, are you trying to kill me today?" he seethed, as he clutched his arm to his chest.

"Oh shit, sorry," he apologized quickly, laughing as he watched Edward's face as he winced in pain. A moment later, they were both laughing and rolling their eyes at each other, acting like two normal guys again. "Come on, Bella's makin' lemonade in there." He laughed, and they both walked into the kitchen, waiting patiently for their precious lemonade.

After an hour or so of mindless chatter and random musings, Jasper mentioned something about a girl named Alice.

"The nurse?" I asked, surprised that Jasper had finally showed interest in a woman.

"Yeah, I uhhh ... I dunno, I kinda like her. Which is ... how I knew that I wasn't ummm, in love with you," he almost whispered, as he trailed off trying to change the subject.

"Well, this isn't awkward at all," I laughed, causing them both to chuckle and find humour in all of this.

"So, Alice!" Edward teased, "You gonna make a move?" he asked, nudging him slightly with a grin on his face.

"I dunno, I'm not really the kind of guy that chases women," he said sarcastically, as he gave a pointed look to Edward, who just laughed and winked at me. I smiled and moved to sit on his lap as he downed his second glass of lemonade.

"Listen Jasper, I've never heard you mention a girl that you like, so I think that if there is something brewing there, then you should go for it." Edward was trying to push Jasper into doing something. We've talked about it before, Jasper is a great guy and we both would like to see him happy. In all the years I've known Jasper, women have always thrown themselves at him and he's never really showed much interest.

"I think you should talk to her, I saw the way she looked at you," I said, smiling up at him. His head shot up when I mentioned that Alice had her eye on him.

"Really? I dunno, maybe I should just forget it, pretty girl like that wouldn't want anything to do with a soldier," he sulked.

"Nonsense, any girl would be lucky to have you," I added, hoping he would make a move and stop being so thick headed for once in his life.

"Okay, I guess I can go and see if she maybe wants to go for something to eat," he pondered as he stood slowly, preparing himself for what he was about to do.

"Go! You'll thank me later," I pushed, as he moved towards the front door, pausing to turn and face me.

"I really am sorry for everything that went down today, it was uncalled for and ridiculous," he admitted, feeling guilty for what happened.

"I know," I smiled as he looked past me to see Edward giving him a dismissive wave as he wrapped an arm around my waist from behind me.

"Go get your girl, Lieutenant," he said, clearly proud of his friend for finally going after the girl he really wanted. We waved goodbye to Jasper as my very own Lieutenant reached down to whisper in my ear.

"I have a couple of hours before I have to be back, is there anything you can suggest we do, Miss Swan?" he asked, in a husky whisper, brushing his nose through my hair and down to my neck, where he placed a soft kiss.

"I have plenty of suggestions, Lieutenant, but I don't know where to start." His lips were at my collar bone and I tilted my head to the side to give him better access, letting out a soft, contented sigh.

"I say we start at the top, and work our way down." I could hear the mischief in his tone and I knew why, when he spun me around, trailing his lips down to the hollow of my throat, before continuing their path to the valley of my breasts.

"You would say that, wouldn't you." I teased with a laugh.

"I have a bit of a one track mind."

"I noticed."

His stomach growled and then so did he. He didn't stop his soft kisses until I stepped away, giggling at his affronted expression, which slowly turned to one of a petulant child.

"It's dinner time." I told him, swerving past him, into the kitchen. He followed me, reaching for my waist and pulling me back against him.

"Food can wait. It's overrated anyway." He grumbled against my skin, his breath tickling me.

"No it isn't. I'm cooking whether you like it or not."

"I'd like it more if there were less clothes." He responded, hope in his tone.

"Well, when you put it like that..."

"Really?" he asked eagerly.

"No," I chuckled, swatting his hand away and reaching for the nearest cupboard to retrieve a pan.

"Won't you take pity on the poor, injured soldier?"

"Later. Food first and then I will show you due care and attention," I promised, filling the pan with water and taking it to the stove, while Edward leant one elbow on the counter, leaning forward to watch me at work.

"I'm going to hold you to that," he sang, as he smiled over at me.

"I hope you will."

Deciding to make a simple carbonara for dinner, I set about boiling the pasta over the stove, trying not to burn it as I had done once before. Who knew you could burn pasta in water. I tossed the bacon in the pan, waiting until it was crispy before tipping it out onto the chopping board and slicing it into strips.

I chided Edward as he snatched a piece of bacon from in front of me, quickly throwing it into his mouth and licking his lips with an innocent smile on his face. I slapped at his hand as he went in for more.

"You're supposed to eat it all together, not bit by bit." I sighed when he successfully stole another piece. He closed his eyes, licked his lips and moaned, before cracking one eye open to see my expression. "If you're not careful, there won't be a later." I warned, wagging my finger at him.

"Yes ma'am." He sounded so dejected, but I knew he was only trying to get to me. He had me wrapped around his little finger and he knew it, unfortunately.

With the sauce finished and the pasta cooked, I served it out onto two plates, pouring us each a glass of tap water. It wasn't wise for Edward to have alcohol with his medication and I didn't fancy drinking alone tonight.

As we sat at the table together, conversation flowed between mouthfuls until we were finally finished, pushing our plates away. I stood from the table, ignoring the dishes as I held my hand out to Edward, biting my lip.

He placed his warm hand in mine, his fingers gripping my smaller ones gently. I led him upstairs in silence, never losing contact. Once inside my bedroom, Edward wrapped his arms around me, holding me in place as I stood in front of him. His strong hands circled my waist, scrunching the material of my dress as he pulled me against him. He whispered in my ear while he ran his fingers down my neck.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?" he asked, pausing only to kiss the side of my throat and brush his nose along my neck. I just moaned quietly as he explored my body.

"You... are the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. You're flawless, stunning, my perfect angel," he breathed, in between soft kisses. His hands reached around the front of my dress, cupping my breasts softly, making his way down my chest to my stomach, where he squeezed slightly, pressing our bodies closer together. "I love you," he whispered, his breath hot on my ear.

"And I love you," I replied, turning my head, searching for his lips. He pressed his perfect lips to mine, kissing me passionately as he held me to him.

"Bella..." he moaned, turning my body to face his, he walked us towards the bed. Just as he was about to lean over me to lay me down, I stopped him, holding onto the back of his neck.

"Wait, Edward... your arm, you shouldn't..." I was abruptly cut off by his lips crashing to mine. A minute later, he was able to gasp out a few words in between his intense kisses, which almost brought me to my knees.

"Mmm don't care... need you now..." he groaned, as he tried to push me down on the bed once more. I pushed his body again, this time he looked into my eyes, unsure of what to do next. I put both my hands on his chest and walked behind him, turning him to face me. His hands went to my hips as I pushed him back onto the bed. The smile that crossed his beautiful face, was one of pure excitement.

"You're injured, Lieutenant. I told you, I wanted to take care of you tonight," I whispered, causing him to moan as I climbed on top of him. He pulled me down to him and kissed me fiercely, grinding himself against me. I could feel him, hard and ready for me as I moved over him, kissing him and touching him with gentle caresses. His fingers went to the buttons of my dress, opening them slowly, kissing the skin he exposed. Once all the buttons were open, he slid the material from my shoulders, letting it fall behind me. My hands wrapped around his neck, pulling him tight against me.

"I wanna make love to you, all night," he claimed as he crashed his lips to mine again, making me whimper in his arms.

_**... Meanwhile... **_

_**From Jasper's Point of View...**_

I walked out the front door, unsure of what I would say when I got there, but I was determined to talk to Alice.

Now that I had acknowledged the jealousy I felt towards my best friends, I found it wasn't much of an issue. I accepted them as a couple, reminding myself, that as they had said, they were still my best friends.

My thoughts strayed back to Alice, as she sat, nursing Edward in the hospital cubicle, chattering away happily as she tried to diffuse the tension, I longed to help her. She was beautiful and enthusiastic, her energy bubbling out. I just had this strong urge, I had to know her. I had to be around her.

When she led me to the bathroom to clean up, her smile was bright and she talked as though we were old friends. That should have felt disconcerting, but it didn't. For the first time in years, I found myself actually wanting to talk to a woman, instead of simply doing so to be polite.

I had been a coward, talking myself out of asking Alice on a date. I'd reasoned with myself that she would say no anyway, so it didn't matter. I'm an Army pilot, not a Doctor or a business man, she would definitely say no. I turned around, starting to walk back towards Bella's house as I reasoned with myself that it was pointless.

Less than an hour after I had confessed my love for Bella, to my best friend, I realised I had been completely wrong. I wanted what they had, but I didn't necessarily want it with Bella. She was my best friend and my sister, and anything else would be wrong. I know that now, I just wish I hadn't gone ahead and opened my mouth until I was completely sure. I could've lost them both today, but thankfully, they understand. At least, I hope they do.

Amongst my embarrassment, there had been frustration and anger, directed only at myself. It was me who had risked not one, but two friendships. I could've lost everything today because of jealousy. Maybe Bella was right, maybe I should talk to Alice. Even if she says no, at least I tried, _right?_

I turned around again, walking towards the hospital as I made it my mission to tell Alice how I feel. I wouldn't turn away again, I was sure. I had to do this. After a few minutes, I was in front of the hospital again, staring at the doors, unsure of what I should say first. While I was debating with myself, pacing back and forth, I heard a tinkling laughter, which pulled me away from my internal debate.

"You look distraught, Lieutenant. Anything I can help you with?" she asked, amusement clear in her expression. I straightened up and walked over to her, running a hand through my hair as I approached her.

"I was just... I mean, I came back because I wanted to ask you, if maybe you wanted to have dinner with me, sometime?" I asked, unsure as she watched me with a light expression. I stuffed my hands in my pockets, so I could fidget with some loose change as I waited for her response.

"I would love to, Jasper. I was wondering how long it would take you to come back," she laughed as she reached to playfully slap my shoulder. I was shocked, I couldn't believe she said yes.

"Really? Was it that obvious?" I asked, with a laugh of my own. She giggled and nodded her head as we both looked down in a slightly awkward silence.

"So, uhhh ... are you hungry? We could go now... if ya want," I asked, hopeful she would say yes.

"That would be great, I know a place, if you can leave the base?" she asked, hopeful as I nodded my head.

"I'm off duty for the next twelve hours, we can go wherever you like Miss, Brandon," I said politely as I held my arm out for her. We walked arm in arm for about half an hour, making small conversation to pass the time. Once we arrived in front of the outdoor bistro, I was surprised a place like this even existed here.

"Wow, this is really nice," I said lamely, glancing over at her to see a small smile.

"It's a local place, no tourists know about it. The owners are really nice, they live right upstairs," she explained with an admiring look on her face.

"How'd ya find this place?" I asked, as I stared at the wall of leafy vines that overlooked a few small tables in the courtyard.

"A while back, Rosalie and I were walking, just getting to know the place, and we found it. We come here every other week or so. I really like it here," she laughed, as she took my hand to lead me inside. "Come on, you'll love it."

We talked and laughed for about two hours while we ate and enjoyed the tiny restaurant. I enjoyed every minute I spent with her, I knew there was something about her that just... fit with me. I had never felt a connection to a woman, other than Bella, and even that couldn't compare to what I saw between Alice and me. We talked about anything and everything until we were ready to leave. I walked her home and was reluctant to leave without some kind of guarantee that I would get to see her again.

"I uhhh... hope I can see you again, I really had a great time with you, Alice," I said, avoiding her eyes until she walked towards me, pulling my chin up so I could meet her eyes.

"I had a great time with you too, Lieutenant Whitlock." She reached up on her toes and kissed my lips, quickly but firmly. I wanted to wrap my arms around her, but thought better of it and returned the kiss, before she pulled away. "You should come by tomorrow, Jasper. I get off at six," she called out as she walked towards her front door.

"I will. Goodnight Darlin," I called, as I threw a wave and a wink in her direction. She giggled softly and went inside. I turned around and started walking back towards the barracks, knowing I would have to check on the hanger situation. Chances were that Edward wouldn't be seen until sometime tomorrow afternoon.

I was happy about how things went with Alice, I was actually pretty surprised. She seemed to enjoy herself just as much as I did. Hopefully, I could show her a good time tomorrow too. I walked home, planning our next date. I would be counting the hours until I got to see Alice again. I laughed to myself, finally understanding how Edward felt when he met Bella.

_**Okay, hope you enjoyed a little peak into Jaspers mind ;)**_

_**See y'all next week !  
>Hit that review button purtehh please ;)<strong>_

_**Much Love, **_

_**Nicci & Callie**_


	8. Chapter 7

_Disclaimer:__** We Do Not Own Twilight. **__All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the authors. The authors are in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended._

_**Dog Tags & White T-Shirts**_

**Chapter 7**

_**BPOV **_

A day off. _Finally_.

We both had absolutely nothing to do all day, so we just relaxed around the house, enjoying each other's company. We spent some time in the kitchen, making lunch. Then we sat in the backyard, lounging out enjoying lunch and reading to each other as we sprawled out on the grass. After a while we went back inside to take part in some _intimate activities. _

We had the perfect day together and I thought of the perfect way to end it. There was a place I wanted to show him. I hurried us both as we dressed quickly, almost forgetting shoes as we ran from the house.

I pulled Edward along, our fingers intertwined as I set our pace down the street, basking in the warm evening air.

"What's the rush?" He huffed teasingly, a smile tugging at his lips.

"No rush," I replied, as I grinned back at him.

"Then why does it feel as though you're trying to detach my arm from my body? I need that arm, you know. It's valuable."

"It is a very valuable arm. That's why I'm stealing it. Honestly, Edward, how did you not work that out already." I joked, turning my head towards him and rolling my eyes.

"Sorry, I always thought you'd prefer a leg."

"No, these fingers of yours are definitely a major preference." He smirked, raising an eyebrow and I turned away, ignoring the unspoken, but not so subtle innuendo.

"Enough about my wonderful, desirable limbs. Where are we going?"

"You'll see," I answered vaguely.

"Well yes, but you could tell me beforehand," he huffed, raising an eyebrow and wearing an adorable smirk.

"I could," I agreed, slowing my steps slightly. Edward could keep up just fine, he was simply being stubborn.

"So...?" He prompted.

"I said I could, not that I would," I sighed, rolling my eyes at him in mock annoyance. He grumbled under his breath, but we were nearly there anyway, so I left him to it.

We rounded a corner and I steered him onto the trodden path in the shrubbery, that had appeared. Within a couple of minutes, we were leaving the trail and I picked my way through the trees and limited undergrowth, concentrating on where I was going, trying my best not to get us lost.

"You're not bringing me out here to kill me, are you?" His tone was serious, but mischief glinted in his eyes.

"No, I plan to have my wicked way with you." I answered in a hushed, conspiratorial whisper.

"Really?" he asked, somewhat eagerly.

I didn't respond, leaving him to think what he liked. In honesty, that wasn't what I had planned.

Once I recognised where we were, I held my arm out to stop him.

"Are you ready?" I asked, then he eyed me uncertainly.

"I guess?"

I nudged him forward, allowing him to go first this time. His steps were slow and cautious, but I could see the curiosity. He broke out from the cover of the trees and I was only a couple of steps behind.

Every step was bringing him closer to the edge of the cliff and I smiled into the darkness, taking in the sight before me, the small city lit up with sparkling, gold lights. We could hear the breaking waves below and if I squinted, I could make out the white sand in the fading light.

"What do you think?" I prodded, genuinely interested in his answer. The view from up here blew me away, but I didn't know how he would react to it. If I let myself think too much, I became nervous.

Edward turned to me, a small smile on his face as he reached for my hand, taking it in his and enveloping it in warmth.

"Beautiful." He breathed, his eyes meeting mine. I let out a gust of air and he grinned, dipping his head to kiss the top of my head. He wrapped his strong arms around my waist and pulled me close to him. It felt nice to feel him without that rough cast on his arm. He had it taken off a few days ago, I was more than excited that it was finally gone. The Doctors and Nurses said he would have a scar, but it wasn't very big, it was pink in color, but was only starting to heal. Hopefully, it would turn white with time.

A month had passed, since the confusion with Jasper and it was now a distant memory. We had all moved on and he had found somebody important to him, much to my relief and satisfaction.

Edward lowered himself, sitting on the ground and gently tugging on my hand in encouragement, until I took my place beside him. His arm wrapped around my shoulders, pulling my body into the warmth of his, my head nestled under his chin, resting on his chest. We were silent for a long time, taking in the tranquillity around us and the beauty of the town below.

"I'm glad you're here." I told him quietly, trying not to disturb the peace that had encompassed us both, holding us in the moment.

"I'll always be here, Love," he answered, acknowledging my meaning. Although I was happy I had been able to share this place with him, I was glad to have him here with me, always.

_**JPOV**_

It was difficult to keep my pace normal as I walked towards the hospital in search of Alice. She would be finishing her shift soon and I had decided to surprise her. It was exactly a month since the day I had sought her out, asking her to go to dinner with me. My life had been utter chaos since, but it was good chaos. Great chaos. Alice was more than I could have wanted and although I wasn't sure I deserved her, I was beyond happy to have her.

It didn't escape my notice that there was a grin on my face, the sort that draws odd glances when you're alone. I tried, but I couldn't wipe it off my lips.

As the hospital loomed over me, I picked up the pace a little. I would wait for her outside, so that I could catch her when she left through the exit. I found a wall to lean on, pressing the sole of one foot against it and stuffing my hands in my pockets. Squinting against the sunlight, I watched everybody entering and leaving the building, refusing to turn my head for even a minute, just in case I missed her.

If I didn't know better, I would say I had absorbed her enthusiasm and carefree nature. She was infectious and I loved it, there was no point trying to deny it. As much as I regretted the fight with Edward, injuring my best friend in a terrible way, I couldn't regret how it had led me to Alice. She was something else entirely and the feelings I had for her were nothing like the friendly love I had for Bella and Edward.

The sun on my skin was making me tired and I suddenly found myself fighting sleep. I scrubbed a fist over my eyes and when I pulled my hand away, I saw Alice walking out of the hospital. She stopped a couple of metres in front of the door before continuing on her path. I jogged to catch up to her and just as I was lifting my arm to touch her shoulder, she spoke.

"You'll need to run faster than that to catch me, Lieutenant."

I couldn't help my amusement. She was sharp and nothing got past her, I should have known better than to try and surprise her, but I convinced myself that one day, she wouldn't be able to predict my every thought.

"I don't think it matters how fast I run, I'll never sneak up on you," I replied keenly. She giggled in acknowledgement but didn't try to deny it.

"What brings you hear this sunny afternoon?" she questioned, halting a second to bring me into step by her side.

"You don't already know?" I teased and she shook her head in humour.

"I could hazard a guess, but then you wouldn't be able to tell me yourself. I'd get bored if I always answered my own questions."

"I don't know how you do it."

"I'll let you in on a little secret." She pulled me closer and looked around to make sure she wasn't overheard. She leaned into me, and spoke in a soft, but somewhat amused voice as we walked towards the end of the street.

"Go on, then. Put me out of my misery." I told her as we crossed the street.

"I'm not always right," she whispered, looking over at me with wide eyes before putting a finger to her lips.

"Really?" I gasped, teasing her, while wishing I could replace that finger with my lips.

"Really. I knew you'd be shocked. You can't tell anyone, though. It will ruin my mysterious image." Her tone was light and I knew she was joking, her eyes playful as I smirked at her.

"Your secret's safe with me, Darlin." I assured her, before holding my arm out in offering. She linked her arm with mine, her fingers lightly gripping my upper arm.

"Where to, Mr. Whitlock?" She questioned.

"There's a little restaurant, cosy and quiet, that somebody showed me once."

"Is that so? Anybody I know?"

"You might, it was a ... Miss. Brandon, I believe. Does that ring any bells, sweetheart?" She looked contemplative for a minute before she nodded, smiling.

"I think so. It sounds like she has good taste."

"That she does. It was a month ago you first walked into my life, I thought a little celebration was in order."

"If I recall correctly, it was you that walked into my life. You strolled into that hospital looking plenty worse for wear and had the nerve to leave without asking me out. That really wasn't very polite, you know."

"Not the best first impression I could have made, but I've been on my best behaviour ever since, ma'am."

"Well, Lieutenant... I'm not sure your _best_ behavior is something I would like to experience this evening," she said with a mischievous smile. I was instantly, _at least_, ten degrees warmer as soon as those loaded words left her beautiful lips.

"Is that so?" I asked, wrapping both my arms around her waist. I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Well then, I'll be sure to be very bad this evenin' Darlin." She whimpered in my arms and I pressed my lips to hers for a searing kiss. Pulling away, I left her breathless as I held my arm out for her to take as we headed towards our cozy spot of the restaurant. I tried my best to sit through a nice quiet dinner, but my thoughts kept straying back to _naughty_ Alice. Thoughts of her as I kissed her, the sounds she made when I touched her, when I made love to her...

I couldn't take it another minute. When she was finished, I threw some money down on the table and grabbed her tiny arm, a little roughly, as I pulled her along behind me.

"What's the rush," she breathed, a little flustered as I trailed her along behind me, anxious to get her alone somewhere. I stopped abruptly, looking around for a hidden spot. I pulled her behind me, heading into a trail of palm trees and high brush, overlooking the harbour.

"I need you, Darlin..." I crashed my lips to hers, holding her flat against me, not allowing any space in between us. I picked her up, so her feet were no longer touching the ground. We kissed fiercely, not wanting to waste a second of our passionate moment. When she pulled back, I groaned in annoyance, not wanting to let go of her.

"Let's go back to my house, Rose is out tonight, we'll be alone," she whispered, pulling me closer to her, by the collar of my shirt.

"Mmm...I just have to feel... Baby...please," I begged, not letting her go, I kissed her slow, soft ...leaving a trail of heat on her neck as I lowered my head to sneak into the top of her blouse, leaving tiny kisses along her collarbone.

"Jasper..." she sighed, throwing her back as I kissed harder, making my way to her perfect breasts, popping the buttons of her silk blouse as I went down further. I was just about to bite down on the swollen flesh of her breast, when I heard giggling from behind me. I spun around, covering Alice as I looked into the faces of my two best friends.

"Well well well ... what do we have here, Soldier," Edward teased, folding his arms over his chest and trying his best not to laugh. Bella smacked his arm and gave me a raised eyebrow, in silent question.

"Ummm... nothing, what are you guys doing here?" I asked, finding it extremely awkward that I was being watched, the whole time.

"Enjoying the view," Bella said admiringly, as she stared out at the lights filtering through the city.

"So what are you guys doing tonight? Do you wanna get some coffee?" Alice asked in a cheerful voice, much to my annoyance. All I wanted was to get her home and in bed, and she wanted to go out for coffee. I think I rolled my eyes and huffed as I pulled out a cigarette, lighting the end and giving Edward the side eye. The bastard just laughed and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

The girls walked out of the brush, talking about the view and some other spots on the Island that they wanted to see. I grunted my disapproval and Edward patted my back and whispered, "Don't worry, I'll fix this," as he walked ahead, grabbing Bella around her waist and pulling her backwards into him. He whispered in her ear and she nodded her head and before I knew it, we were all saying goodbye. Edward winked over at me as he walked away, tucking Bella under his arm as they made their way in the opposite direction from me and Alice.

"Let's go to bed, Lieutenant," she said in a seductive whisper, pulling me along with her. We made our way back to her place, and she was right, Rosalie wasn't home. I would be able to enjoy my girl all night and not have to worry about making too much noise. _Perfect._

**EPOV**

I knew Jasper wanted to be alone with Alice, and honestly, I wanted Bella all to myself tonight. I pulled Bella back and whispered in her ear that I needed to be alone with her. I moved my hands over her hips and pulled her against the buldge in my pants as I kissed the shell of her ear. She was more than willing to come home with me, in hope that we could have some alone time. We walked briskly back to her house, I held her waist and breathed soft words over her shoulder as she used to her key to get inside.

"I wanna make love to you," I sighed, pushing her hair off her neck as I placed a soft kiss there, making her shudder with my touch.

"I think that can be arranged," she taunted, her sultry voice drawing my body to her with every breath. She turned around leaning up against the front door and waited for me to make my move. I leaned in, placing one hand on the door, next to her head, the other on her hip, rubbing small circles as I moved my fingers along her bone.

"Bella..." I sighed, moving to open the door behind her. I wrapped my hands around her and walked us through the door as I kissed her hungrily. "I love you so much," I whispered, fisting my hands in her hair as I kicked the door closed behind me. "You know that, don't ya?" I asked, pausing only momentarily so I could stare at her lips before bringing mine to hers once more. I took her bottom lip into my mouth, biting down softly, before sucking lightly and releasing it so I could look into her eyes. She nodded her head furiously as she reached up on her toes to wrap her arms around my neck. I lifted her up and carried her to the couch in the living room.

"Are we not making it to the bedroom this evening?" she asked, a twinkle in her eyes and a bit back smile. I didn't have it in me to laugh, I could only stare at her and try my best not to ravage her like an animal. My intense need for her, burned inside me, feeding the desire to take her and make her mine.

I laid her down, hovering above her as we stretched diagonal across her couch. I slowly undressed her, kissing every inch of her that I uncovered. I started low, tickling her toes with my nose as I breathed my warm breath all over her. I kissed a trail along her perfectly sculpted legs until I reached the juncture of her hip, and then I repeated my actions with the other leg. When I reached her stomach, I circled her belly button with my tongue, before placing a wet kiss there. I licked and sucked a fiery trail all the way to her luscious breasts where I proceeded to lose myself entirely. It could have been two minutes or two hours, I wasn't sure which, before she pulled me away, fisting her hands in my hair as I reached up to kiss her lips.

"Edward... please, make love to me," she begged, effectively making me thrust against her, begging for friction. My eyes found hers, we both wore intense stares as I undressed myself slowly, never taking my eyes off her. I was about to take off my dog tags when she grabbed them, I smiled and kissed her hand. She watched me, lust heavy in her eyes as I made my way back on top of her, shifting her body to fit mine between her thighs. I held her leg and placed a soft kiss behind her knee before I pushed her legs further apart, so I could position myself at her entrance.

Her eyes were hooded and her hair was a mess. Her lips were swollen from my feverish kisses, a soft glow of sweat broke on her forehead and her heavy breathing was enough to make me weak in the knees. But when she watched me line up to push inside her, she looked sinfully beautiful; otherworldly.

"You are so beautiful," I gasped, as I pushed inside her. My mouth found hers as I pushed in and out of her, slowly building intense pressure. Every inch went in slowly, until I felt her completely surround me. I held myself there for just a moment, enjoying the tightness that consumed my throbbing erection. My intentions were to go slow, to worship her, but I couldn't hold out another second. I needed to make her mine. I lost any sense of control I may have previously had and I grabbed her roughly, pulling her into a sitting position as I thrusted into her, building a fast rhythm and rocking into her with force.

"Oh God... Edward..." she cried, throwing her head back in passion as I moved us again. I fell back against the couch and she was in my lap, taking control as I watched her move her hips, rocking back and forth, taking me inside her.

"Bella... fuck," I hissed, feeling how tight she clenched her walls around me, sliding along my length as I begged for release. I was so painfully hard for her, my body was tensing every time she moaned. I wrapped my arms around her, stilling her movements and kissed her as hard as I could. She moaned into my mouth and I felt myself throb and explode inside her. She whimpered into my mouth and in that moment, she tightened and there was a delicious wetness between her thighs. We stayed that way for a few more minutes, kissing, breathing, staring...

"Wanna come upstairs?" she asked, as she wiggled off my lap.

"Most definitely, Miss Swan," I breathed, exhausted from our intense intimate _activities_. I stood up, grabbing the pile of clothes we left on the couch and took her hand. I watched her sashay her naked body up the stairs and I was instantly hard for her again, ready to take her into her bed and make love to her the way she deserved.

_**Okay, we know this chapter was a little late ... **_

_**We'll make it up to you we promise ;)**_

_**As you may have noticed, we have started the time jumps...**_

_**We are fast approaching December...so brace yourselves !**_

_**Much Thanks to The Lemonade Stand, for mentioning us on their poll last week... that was way cool ;)**_

_**As always, **_

_**Please leave questions or comments...**_

_**Review review review!**_

_**Much Love,**_

_**Nicci & Callie **_

_**Ps... if you haven't checked out "September" yet... please do ...**_

_**It needs some serious Love !**_

www_(dot)_fanfiction_(dot)_net/s/7260191/1/September

_**** September is up on the poll in TLS this week ... votes would be great ! js ;)**_


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